LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Chap._.XJ copyright No.. 

ShelfjGL.fi 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



Revealed Word of God. 



OUR LOST BROTHER FOUND. 



BY 




REV. ISAAC CHARLES CRAY. 



1896. 



DEC 1 



Franklin Printing and Publishing Co., 
GEO. W. HARRISON, State Printer, Manager, 
Atlanta, Ga. 




COPYRIGHT, 1896, BY I. C. CRAY. 



PREFACE. 



To the Georgia Annual Conference of the A. M. E. Church : 

In memory of my deceased mother, Martha Butler, I 
have asked the blessed Lord to reveal to me the understand- 
ing to write this precious little volume, which she 
taught me during her life in this world. Trusting 
God for everything in life, I have arrived at the 
conclusion to pay homage to her instructions, which 
I have done from my youth until the present 
hour. Be it remembered, that in the thirty-third 
year of my age, in the State of Georgia, I, Isaac Charles 
Cray, in behalf of my dear wife, sisters and race in the 
United States of America, and for the ministerial dignity 
and the laity of the church, whoever may accept this little 
volume for their consideration, have deposited my lifetime 
in the title of this study, whereof I claim the title of this 
book for my wife. This volume which I have compiled, I 
trust it will be for the benefit of my race and for those who 
may sympathize with my disadvantages in trying to get up 
this work. In conformity with that father and hero, Rev. 
J. A. Wood, whose assistance to me in the dark and lonely 
hours of grief, before I could get this little work prepared 
for the public, I do sincerely trust, from the depth of my 
heart, that all who may read this volume may gain some 
words of interest to cheer them on in their pilgrimage. My 
design in this work is to rouse to honorable efforts those 
who are wasting their time and energies through indiffer- 
ence of life. In the furtherance of this dim question, I 
have endeavored to get all the information that I possibly 
could from the Holy Bible, and other sources, from the sa- 
cred and ancient historians, and the thoughts of such wise 



iv 



PREFACE. 



and earnest men as Bishops H. M. Turner, W. J. Gaines, 
Abram Grant, and Rev. J. A. Wood, to whom I am very 
much indebted for valuable information, and scores of others 
I could mention; but time and space will not permit me. 
They have not failed to use their pen to delineate life and 
its possibilities, its joys and its sorrows. I have gathered 
from sources widely different from my humble teacher of 
earth in the person of Rev. D. J. Straughter, in my youth. 
I sincerely trust that I shall be able to rouse in the minds 
of the careless a sense of the value of perseverance. To 
those who are striving to be noble and true, I trust that 
the womanhood and manhood in my race may derive the 
inspiration that the sacred pages will attempt to serve you 
with, which may make your now called Negro hope for suc- 
cess and happiness. I. C. C. 




The above cut is a portrait of Rev. J. A. Wood, the oldest member of 
the A. M. E. Church in the State of Georgia. He is called the hero of the 
Georgia Annual Conference. He is noted for his veracity and loyalty 
to the connection. He has traveled over more territory in the State 
planting churches than any other man in the Georgia Conference. 

Many thousands of dollars of the money collected by the churches 
have from time to time been placed in his hands for safe-keeping. The 
following are some of the appointments which he has held as pastor: 
Bethel Station, Atlanta, Ga. ; Griffin Station, Griffin, Ga. ; Marietta 
Station, Marietta, Ga. ; Allen Temple, Atlanta, Ga. He was appointed 
to the following named districts as a Presiding Elder: Cuthbert Dis- 
trict, Albany District, Savannah District, and the Waycross and Bruns- 
wick District, where he now presides. 



INTRODUCTION. 



To the many friends who read this volume, I am frank 
in saying that you will be more than benefited by reading 
the contents of this excellent work on the problem of the 
Negro race. It is a work long wanted and which may tend 
to clarify many mistakes that have caused many irritating 
broils and has engendered enmity towards us as a race. 
This little book opens up with the Fatherhood of God and 
the Brotherhood of man, and Christ the common Savior of 
us all. It points with index fingers to the repeopling of 
the earth after the mighty deluge, which left only eight 
persons alive. From these persons God chose three fami- 
lies to repeople the earth, viz.: Shem, Ham and Japheth. 
Thus you see these were brothers. From them the world 
has been repeopled and from these three there are over 
150,000,000 souls, and every one of them of our blood. 
The reader will also see that the author has endeavored to 
set the Negro race in the proper light of true history, as a 
prominent factor from the remotest times. 

The Negro as a leader in civilizing and ruling race of the 
world. He sets him forth as the first that gave thrones and 
imperial powers, shook the earth while kingdoms bowed, 
and wrote his fame among the clouds. 

I trust, in behalf of the author, whom I know to be a 
Christian gentleman and an able preacher of the New Tes- 
tament, as well as the many readers who may read this 
masterpiece of race pride, that it serve as an eye-opener on 
this problem. E. H. Zeigler. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER. PAGE. 

I 7 

II : 16 

III 39 

IV 50 

V. 62 

VI ..... 86 

VII- 112 

VIII___. ..... ...... 138 

IX . .... 149 

X . _. 161 

XI ,_. 184 

XII , 217 

XIII ___ 235 

XIV _ 252 

XV 259 

XVI 267 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



CHAPTER I. 

THE PROBLEM— MUST BEGIN TO WORK. 
I see from the Holy Bible, and other ancient writers, 
that the people who lived before the flood, were called 
antediluvians, and we know nothing about them ex- 
cept what we are taught from the Holy Bible. It is 
said that probably they extended over but a small part of 
Asia, and that no human being dwelt in Africa, Europe or 
America before the flood. The Bible tells us that it rained 
forty days and nights. The ancient writers also say that 
it began about November and ceased in March, then state 
that when the waters subsided Noah's Ark rested on the 
top of a tall mountain, situated in Armenia, called Ararat. 
The people and animals now came out of the ark, and from 
them the world was again repeopled and stocked. The 
inhabitants, which were eight persons (the now called Ne- 
gro was with them — Hamitic descendants), and the animals 
all spread themselves abroad in the country, and after 
many centuries they were scattered into all countries. Noah 
and his three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth — these with 
their families — proceeded to the country of Shinar. It was 
said to be a beautiful and fruitful land, which lay to the 
south, near what is now called the Persian Gulf. Here 
it is said that they settled themselves on the borders 
of the river Euphrates, probably in the same country 
that had been inhabited by the antediluvians. It is in this 
region that the first nations are said to have been placed. 
As I have told you above, the people were said to have in- 
creased very rapidly, and at the end of 100 years from the 



8 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



deluge, they were said to be quite numerous. The most of 
Noah's family were at this time alive. They had told their 
descendants how the world had been overflowed with water, 
which destroyed all the people and animals on the land ex- 
cept those that went into the ark. 

All who remembered the deluge, or had heard of it, 
were afraid that the wickedness of mankind would be pun- 
ished again in a similar way. They therefore resolved to 
build a tower that they might go upon it and save them- 
selves from destruction. Accordingly they laid the founda- 
tion of the said edifice and called it the Tower of Babel, on 
the eastern bank of the river Euphrates. It is said by 
Parley's perhaps they expected to raise the Tower so high 
that the top would touch the blue sky, and enable them to 
climb up into heaven. Their building material was said 
to be bricks that had been baked in the sun. Instead of 
mortar they cemented the brick together with a sort of 
slime or pitch, which was said to be in abundance in that 
country. The workmen labored very diligently and piled 
one layer of brick upon another until the earth was a con- 
siderable distance beneath them, but the blue sky and sun 
aud the stars seemed as far off as when they first began. 

One day while these foolish people were at their labor a 
very wonderful thing took place. They were said to be 
talking together as usual, but all of a sudden they found it 
to be impossible to understand what each other would have 
to say. If any of the workmen called for brick their com- 
panions at the bottom of the Tower might mistake them 
and their meaning, and would bring them pitch; so if 
they asked for one kind of a tool another was given 
them. Their words appeared to be mere sounds without 
any sense. The (now called Negro) king was at the head 
of the building of this Tower — Mmrod, Ham's grandson, 
by Cush, the grandson of Hamath, the said despised 
black-skinned brother in the United States. Gen- 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



9 



esis 10th chapter 6-10 verses. At this work it is said 
they were like the babble of a little child before it had 
been taught to speak. This strange event caused such con- 
fusion that they could not go on in building the Tower. 
The Bible teaches us that there was a great east wind came 
and blew them away from their work. Hence, they 
therefore gave up the idea of climbing up into heaven. 
They were scattered into the several parts of the earthy 
which we shall name hereafter. It is said that those who 
could talk intelligently went together. It was said that 
they set forth on their journeys in various ways. As each 
company departed, it is said that they most assuredly threw 
a glance behind them. The now called Negro was said to 
be king of the whole earth at that time. These were the 
only ones known at that time: Ham's grandson Nimrod; 
Cush was his father. 1 Chronicles 1 chapter 8-10 verses. 
I now ask the blessed Lord to please give me the wisdom 
of this Problem of the now Negro Race. " If any man see 
that he lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to 
all men, black skin and the white skin. He will give liber- 
ally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him." This 
problem must be worked by some generations; why not we 
begin ? 

The descendants of Shem are said to have distributed 
themselves over the country near to Euphrates, and founded 
the nations there. The descendants of Ham took a west- 
erly direction, and proceeded to Africa. They settled in 
Ham or, Egypt, anciently, and they laid the foundation of 
a great and noble nation, the now called Negro in the 
United States of America. The descendants of Japheth 
proceeded to Greece, Rome, and other countries in Europe, 
and thus laid the foundation of the European nations. But 
the most painful thought of this problem, is that part of 
ancient history — Africa, which belonged to the slave trade 
from the time of antiquity. When (the now called Negro) 



10 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



human society was in a rude state, it was the custom of all 
nations, as much so as the now called African (Negro) na- 
tion, to make slaves of those who were taken in war. This 
practice was continued in the time of antiquity, and thus, 
for 1,000 years, slavery was said to be established in all of 
the nations of the earth. In Ancient Ham or Egypt 
(Africa), Greece, and Rome, in Europe, slaves constituted 
a large part of their inhabitants. But in those countries 
where the Christian religion prevailed, slavery came into 
general disuse. In 1482, the Portuguese were the first to 
begin the traffic of the African slave trade. The English 
are said to have followed in 1563 A. d. Thus slavery was 
then established in America and the colonies. At least for 
200 years this traffic was carried on to a great extent. The 
custom was, that vessels would go to the west coast of Af- 
rica aud purchase of the native African princes, such per- 
sons as they would have for sale. Bishop H. M. Turner, 
D.D., LL.D., certifies that this statement is correct. One 
of the native princes told him it was a fact, that it did be- 
gin just that way. Sometimes the captain of a vessel would 
rob the people of their children, or they would go on shore 
with a body of armed men and would capture a whole lit- 
tle village, and would carry away the entire inhabitants of 
the now called Xegro. So you, many readers, can see that 
the Xegro now in America did not come of his own free 
will and accord. But your poor, despised black-skinned 
brothers were thus taken from their homes and separated 
forever from all they held dear, and crowded into the ves- 
sels bound to America or the West Indies. On the pas- 
sage it was said that they were half starved, and did suffer 
with disease, sometimes, or unkind treatment. Such was 
said to be frequently their distress, that they would jump 
into the sea, or would beat out their own brains in despair. 
In modern times the civilized nations, that is, the principal 
part of them, made laws to suppress the slave trade in 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



11 



America. Thank God , it did prevail! America was the 
first to set that wicked example in the civilized world of 
nations more than 300 years ago. In this progressive age 
they shall be compelled to make up the disadvantages of a 
bound tribe of people. It has always been taught in all 
ages, Love the brotherhood, and it ever shall prevail, be- 
cause the murder of another brother is expressly forbidden 
by the commaud of the Almighty God that will control and 
govern the universe. So we all shall answer at the dread- 
ful Day of Judgment for our actions and the deeds we have 
committed in the flesh. Here we take our pairs off. After 
the sweeping winds came, and God blessed Noah and his 
sons, the now said Negro, too, Ham's descendants, and God 
said unto them : "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish 
the earth. " This is the command that God give. He 
gave this to the black skin, the white skin. This is the 
command he gave when he sent us out to till the different 
parts of the grand divisions of the globe on which we live. 
He said, "and the fear of you, and the dread of you, shall 
be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl 
of the air, and upon all that moveth upon the earth, and 
upon all the fishes of the sea." He said, "into your hands 
are they delivered; every moving thing that liveth shall be 
meat for you, even as the green herb have I given you all 
things." This was the same command given to Ham, as 
much so as to Shem, Japheth and his father, Noah. Gen- 
esis 9th chapter. "But the flesh with the life thereof, 
which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. And surely 
your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every 
beast (not only the said brother) will I require it, and at 
the hand of man; at the hand of every man (the black one 
and the white one — not one can and will escape his all- 
discerning eyes), at the hand of every man's brother will I 
require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by 
man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made 



12 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



he man" — (the said Negro, now called, and he with the 
white one called. Did God not make these men ?) "And 
you," he said, "be fruitful, and multiply ; bring forth abun- 
dantly in the earth, and multiply therein." And this is 
the word he said to all mankind upon the face of the beau- 
tiful green earth, which he the Father gave us to live upon. 
"And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, say- 
ing, And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, 
and with your seed after you (so the now called Negro 
are the seed of Ham. So the entire world declare); and 
every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the 
cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all 
that go with you out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. 
I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all 
flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither 
shall there be any more a flood to destroy the earth. And 
God said, This is the token of the covenant (with the now 
called Negroes and all the others that were in the ark — 
there were only eight in there) between me and you and 
every living thing that is with you" (Negro now called). 
He said, I will make it for a perpetual generation. Never- 
ceasing, everlasting, with the Hamitic seed; as well as the 
other seed. "I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall 
be for a token of a covenant between me and thee. And 
it shall come to pass when I bring a cloud over the earth, 
that the bow shall be seen in the cloud" (as much for the 
now said to be Negro as the others). "And I will remem- 
ber my covenant which is between me and you and every 
living creature of all flesh" (the poor black skin did not 
make his tincture, it was the Father of Light). He could 
have made it a green skin (flower) as well as he did the 
black; and also blue skin as well as a white (flower). Which 
one could have said Why have you made me thus? "The 
waters shall never any more destroy all flesh. And the bow 
shall be in the cloud; and I shall look upon it that I may 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



13 



remember my everlasting covenant between me and every 
living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And 
God said unto Noab, This is the token of the covenant 
which I have established between me and all flesh that is 
upon the earth" (the now said Negro, if he is the Negro). 
Here the three brothers come which were the sons of Noah, 
that went forth out of the ark : Shem, Ham (the Negro 
now called), and Japheth. The nations again in the literal 
Garden of Eden. Ham is the father of (the now called 
Negro) Canaan, which eleven tribes descended from his 
loins, and will be mentioned hereafter. If this blessed Bi- 
ble be true, these were the three sons of Noah, and it is 
shown that from them the whole earth was spread with the 
different people. "And Noah began to be an husbandman, 
and he did plant a vineyard; and he drank of the wine and 
was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. And 
Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, 
and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Ja- 
pheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders 
and went backward, and covered their father's nakedness. 
And Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his younger 
son had done unto him, and he said ' Cursed be Canaan/ 
(This was Noah's, not God's, because the Lord had blessed 
us all. Yes, all flesh upon the earth, and can never change 
his oath's sake. His sentiments goeth from him and never 
do return back void. It has accomplished in all ages what 
he said, aud always shall. He changeth not; this is Noah's 
saying, A servant of servants shall he be." And remem- 
ber that Ham begat other sons, which I will mention for 
you hereafter, and each one's descendants. Also where 
each inhabited.) " And Noah said, blessed be the Lord 
God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall 
enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; 
and Canaan shall be his servant." This is Noah, not God, 
because he had spoken once, and that was for ever. Not 



14 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



whom we shall bless is known to be accepted with God. 
This is what he says in every nation. He that worketh 
righteousness is certainly acceptable with him. Not as 
Noah willeth, but as God said. Acts 10 chapter 34 verse. 
And Noah Jived after the flood 350 years and all the 
days of Noah were 950 years; and he died. The Bible 
may be said to begin with the origin of the human race, 
because no sooner do we read of the creation of man, the 
said problem and place was fixed and mentioned, which 
abode was the Garden of Eden. It was no doubt intended 
that we should be informed where this happy laud was sit- 
uated, for a number of circumstances particularly so stated, 
as if to direct our minds to the very spot where our first 
parents had their probation. The question, therefore, of 
the (now called Negro) does, and which demands an an- 
swer. It relates to the Garden of Eden. Because out of 
one blood God created all men on the face of the earth. 

This must be acknowledged in the outset, that our 
knowledge of the countries which occur in the antedilu- 
vian histories is very small, while at the same time we may 
be assured that nothing has been withheld in the inspired 
record which is necessary or important to be known. If 
entire satisfaction cannot be attained upon this (now called 
Negro) subject or problem, it is because no great practical 
advantage could result from more minute description. 
Many pious and learned men have diligently examined all 
the existing sources of information, yet the opinion of all 
the theologians and commentators may differ and can 
contradict the Bible. But can that make it true ? This 
was the residence of our first parents in their state of in- 
nocence and bliss and was called Eden or Delight. Now in 
seeking the spot where this Garden was planted, I shall 
determine upon those marks that are now given in the 
word of God. I am informed in Genesis (2d chapter, 8th 
verse) that Eden was eastward, that is, we might locate it 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



15 



from the country of the Israelites, or the land in which 
Moses wrote this term. Of course it is very general in its 
significance, but may apply to any of the countries upon 
the River Euphrates, for they all lie east of the ancient 
(now called Negro) country, Palestine. The ancient name 
is Philistine. The Greeks called it Canaan. Ham's son 
Canaan's descendants inhabited it in past time, the (now 
Negro) Philistines. And we have the name of the River 
Euphrates, which flowed out of Eden and which has re- 
tained that original name until the present day. It is said 
upon this river in some parts of its extensive course, we 
can with certainty place the Garden of Eden. We have a 
second river mentioned, namely, the Hiddekel. Almost 
all of the historians acknowledge this to be the Tigris. The 
eastern name of the Tigres is said to be an abbreviation of 
the ancient word f as Degil, Diklath or Diklat, and Di- 
gola. Besides this, the prophet Daniel said, that he had a 
vision of the latter days in Babylonia, by the side of the 
great river, which is Hiddekel. The only great river of 
which he could speak of, is the Euphrates or the Tigris; 
and it is said for certain that it was the former. I have 
thus arrived at the conclusion, that the eastern region in 
which Eden was situated, lay in some of the countries where 
the Tigris and the Euphrates approached one another. As 
we could not give the exact dimension, but it is said to be 
some 100 miles to the paradise in which Adam was said to 
have been placed to dress it and to keep it. We find Eden 
also mentioned in other parts of the Scriptures and from the 
countries with which it is named, we will form some idea of 
its situation. 2 Kings 19:12. 



16 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



CHAPTER II. 

"Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my 
father has destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, 
and the children of Eden?" 13th verse: "Where is the 
(now called Negro) king of Hamath, and the king of Ar- 
pad?" And we read of Gozan, and Haran, and the Eden 
which were in Thelar or Thelasar. Gozan was Media, Ha- 
ran, Rezeph in Mesopotamia. Again, in Ezekiel (27th 
chapter, 19-25). This is the (now called Negro) Problem, 
where they were situated, their descendants : " Dan, also 
and Javau, going to and fro, occupied in thy fairs; bright 
iron, cassia and calamus, were in thy market. Dedan was 
thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots. Arabia, and 
all the princes of Kedar, they occupied with thee in lambs, 
and rams, and goats; in these were thy merchants. The 
merchants of the (now called Negro) Sheba and Raamali, 
they were thy merchants; they occupied in thy fairs with 
chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and gold- 
Haran and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, As- 
shur and Chilmad, were thy merchants. These were thy 
merchants in all sorts of things, in blue clothes, and broid- 
ered work, and in chests of rich apparel, bound with cord, 
and made of cedar, among thy merchandise. The ship of 
Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market; and thou wast re- 
plenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas. 
These are the (now called Negro) inhabitants at Tyre, Zidon, 
or Sidonites, Ham's son Canaan's descendants, the said 
Hamath's grandson. Head the 3d to 11th verses, and 
Ezekiel will show you the now called Negro kings in Ty- 
rus (in ancient times it was Parthia) and Asshur or As- 
syria; it lay along the upper part of the same river. Hence 
we see that the land of Eden could not be, as some strangely 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



17 



suppose, in Babylonia. But further north, in Media, Ar- 
menia, Mesopotamia. It remains then to be determined on 
what part of these rivers we are to place the Garden of 
Eden; whether at their source, or in the middle course, or 
near their junction. The remarks of a late ingenious writer 
are just and appropriate. We have all seen that the coun- 
try of Eden was somewhere in Media, Armenia, or the 
northern part of Mesopotamia, all mountainous countries 
and affording health, instead of being the sickening plain 
of Babylonia; some of the grandest as well as the richest 
scenery in the world. A river or stream is said to have 
risen in some part of this country, and entered the garden, 
where it is said to be parted into four others, in all proba- 
bility by first falling into a basin or lake from which the 
other streams issued at different points, and taking a differ- 
ent direction and growing into mighty rivers; although at 
their sources in the garden, they would be like all other 
rivers, mere brooks, passed by a stepping stone or a plank, 
and forming no barrier to free communication between the 
parts of the garden. The Euphrates has its source in the 
central part of the mountains of Armenia, near the lake 
Van or Arsissa. It is said to be formed by two streams 
which first flow west. After their junctions near Hebban, 
in Mount Taurus, the rivers bend to the southwest, and 
joining a smaller stream, pursue a course as if to reach the 
Mediterranean, but being turned by the mountain of Cau- 
casus, changing its said direction to southeast, joins the Ti- 
gres at the Kuran, forming the Shatel Arab, which fall into 
the Persian Gulf by several mouths. Near the fountains of 
the Euphrates we find those of the Hiddekel. The Tigres 
rises near the head of the Euphrates. The now called Ne- 
gro country. (Genesis, 2d chapter, 10-13th verses.) "And 
a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from 
thence it was parted, and became into four heads. The 



18 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



name of the first is Pison, that is it which compasseth the 
whole of the land Havilah, where there is gold. And the 
gold of that land is good; there is bdellium and the onyx 
stone. And the name of the second river is Gihon; the 
same is that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia, that is 
it which goeth eastward to Assyria/' This great river di- 
vided Assyria from Mesopotamia, and is, as has been said, 
the Hiddekel of the Scripture. (Genesis, 2d chapter, 11th 
verse.) The Pison is not so easily discovered, but is gen- 
erally supposed to be the Phasis, or Absonesof the ancients. 
Notice the Havilah which is compassed by this river, is dif- 
ferent from the country of this name, which is in Arabia, 
and which will be mentioned hereafter. It may be read- 
ily taken for Colchis between the Black Sea and the Cas- 
pian. The River Phasis flows through Mingrelia and falls 
into the Black Sea. The country through which it passes 
was celebrated among the ancients for its gold. (Genesis, 
2d chapter, 13th verse.) Notice. The Gihon is said to 
compass the whole land of Ethiopia. Cush is a term used 
to denote various regions, both in Asia and in (the now 
called Negro) Africa. In antiquity it was called Ham or 
Egypt. Now as no one will contend that the River Gi- 
hon encircled either Ethiopia proper, or the part of Arabia, 
so called, we seek for some other land to which (the now 
called Negro) Cush may be applied. It is thought by many 
that the first settlement of Cush, the son of Ham, was made 
in Susiana. Upon this, we may take the Gihon to be the 
River Kerah, which the Greeks called Gyndes, apparently 
a corruption of the Hebrew name. This river encompasses 
the east borders of Susiana. The opinion however, most 
commonly received, is that the River Oxus, which is even 
now called by the Arab, Jihon, and which falls into the sea 
of Aral, must be concerning a country which was desolated 
by the universal deluge. We may still be safe, it is 
thought, to place the Garden of Eden in, or near Armenia. 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



19 



The Lake Arsissa is said to cover the site of Eden, and that 
the changes which carried the heads of these rivers to a 
great distance from it was occasioned by the deluge, but it 
is far more likely the streams remained unaltered by that 
event. It may have taken place at man's expulsion from 
the garden, when God decided his works unfitted for 
anything, but the residence of the lovely and innocent, 
the garden, both the site and the memorial of man's trans- 
gression — a wonderful event. The land of Nod, to which 
Cain went after the murder of Abel (Genesis, 4th chapter, 
16th verse), was on the east of Eden. Nothing more than 
that can be known of its situation, as little has been dis- 
covered as to the site of the city of Enoch. (Genesis, 4th 
chapter, 17th verse.) The only true account that can be 
obtained about the origin of the (now called Negro) race, or 
the Hamitic people, must come from the 10th chapter of 
Genesis and 1 Chronicles, 1st chapter, and this account can- 
not be denied. The Christian world declares that the holy 
Bible is the Word of God, which is his divine command, 
which I must proceed to prove from the Bible by showing 
the division of the races on the globe, and the descendants 
of each one. Let us come to them. Genesis, 10th chapter 
contains the chronological table of mankind on the earth. 
Also 1 Chronicles, 1st chapter. These are the descendants 
of Noah. It may be brief, but it affords the only clue to 
the complex history of nations. Although the inattentive 
reader might pass lightly over this as an uninteresting cat- 
alogue of names, yet it will be found as we proceed, that 
constant appeals must be made to this inspired document. 
It should be remembered in all those inquiries that the 
countries in early times were scarcely ever known except by 
the names of the first inhabitants. And almost every one 
of these persons gave name to some tribe or people, and in 
such cases as these, the nations can be discovered, for we 



20 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



can find do record of the founders except in this genealog- 
ical table. 

Now, in seeking to fix the abode of these people after 
1000 years, we all must labor under great difficulties, and 
do little more in many cases than conjecture. There were 
three sons of Noah. They being a factor, or prime number, 
they cannot be separated from the same blood, namely, 
Shem. 

Ham and Japheth — these are considered there presenta- 
tives of the nations after the deluge in Asia, Africa, and 
Europe. Not that they were confined to these parts of the 
earth always, but that this distinction, for the most part, 
may be discovered, as shall appear from the following 
table, which contains the results that all learned men will 
declare. This, in order to be understood, must be com- 
pared with the above chapters I have mentioned. 

I will now give you the descendants by tribes or nations, 
by the Holy Bible and the Sacred Books. 

• 

DESCENDANTS OF JAPHETH. 

Qomer — Ashhenaz — The Cimmerians on the north coast 
of the Black Sea within Armenia. 

Riphath — The inhabitants of the Ripheau mountains. 
Togarmah — The Armenians. 

Magog — Causus and Scythians in the neighborhood. 
Madia— The Medes. 

Javan — The Ionians, Greeks — from him Elisha. The 
Greeks said to be, in a sense. 
Tarshish — Tartesus in Spain. 

Kittim — The Cyprians and other islanders — Macedo- 
nians. 

Dodanim — The Dodonians in Epirus. 

Tubal — The Tibarenes of Pontus. 

Meshech — The Moschi of the Moschian mountains. 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



21 



Tiros — PoDtus, between Iberia and Armenia. 
The Thracians — Or the people upon the Dniester. 

DESCENDANTS OF HAM. 

Now called the Negro race. 

1. Cush — The Ethiopians and South Arabians from 
Cash. 

Nimrod — The first king of Shinar, Babylonia, where he 
built cities in Mesopotamia, viz. : Erech, Babel, Accad 
and Calneh in the land of Shinar. 

2. Seba, Mero and Ethiopia — All of these tribes are the 
now called negro in the United States, descendants. 

3. Havilah — The Hauloteans of South Arabia. 

4. Sabtah — Sabota, in South Arabia. 

5. Raamah — Rhegma, in Southeast Arabia. From Raa- 
mah came Shebah, said to be in South Arabia. 

Dedan — Dadan, an island in the Persian gulf. 

6. Sabtecha — On the coast of Ethiopia. 

Mizraim — Come Ludim on the River Nile. This is 
where the now-called Negro is said to derive his name 
when the other brother discovered him in Africa. From 
Ludim, Ananim, Lehabim or Lubim, the Libyans, Naph- 
tuhim, between Egypt and Asia, Pathrasim, in Pathrures, 
a part of Egypt, Casluhim, the Colchins, out of whom 
came the Philistim or the Philistines, Caphtorim, the Cre- 
tans. (These are the now-called negro descendants from 
whom all came from the loin of Ham. Wherever you may 
read one of these names in the Bible or print, it is the now 
said Negro races, brothers to Shem and Japheth.) Phut ? 
the Mauritanians or Moors, Canaan. The original inhab- 
itants of Palistine or Holy Land, ancient Canaan, were the 
Greeks and Philistines, and from Canaan descended the 
now-called Negro in America. Wherever you read the 
names of these tribes in the Bible they are Canaan sons, 
Ham's grandchildren, the (Negro blood) descendants. This 



22 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



is where we spruug from. So all nations declare from 
Ham in Africa. Bishop Turner visited that land in 1895 
a few months ago, met some of these tribes and saw some 
of the old relics that I will tell you about hereafter. The 
Sidonians or the Phenicians, the Hittites about Hebron, 
the Jebusites in and around Jerusalem, the Amorites east 
and west of the Dead Sea, and the Girgashites, the Hivites 
at the foot of Mount Hermon, the Arkites at the foot of 
Lebanon, the Sinites at or in the region of Lebauon. All 
of these are the now called Negro blood wherever they 
may be scattered, and what their tincture are, and the hair, 
God did make it as he would it to be. The Arvadites and 
the Phenician island, Arabus, and the opposite coast, the 
now-called Negro, who invented the art of writing in the 
hieroglyphic age give to the world civilization, the Zemar- 
ites of the (Negro) Phenician city, Simyra, the Hamathites 
on the Orontes at Epiphania. 

The next table of the now-called Negro (I. Chronicles 1). 
The sons of Ham, Gush and Mizraim, and Phut and 
Canaan, and the sons of Cush, Seba, Havila and Sabtah, 
and Eaamah and Sabtecha, and the sons of Paamah, Sheba 
and Dedan. And Cush begat Nimrod. He began to be 
mighty upon the earth. And Mizraim begat Ludim and 
Ananim and Lehabim and Naphtuhim and Pathrusim and 
Casluhim (of whom came the Philistines), and Caphtorim. 
And Canaan begat Zidon, his first born, and Heth, the 
Jebusite, also, and the Amorites, and the Girgashite, and 
the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, and the Arva- 
dite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. These are sons 
of Ham. Gender, the now-called Negro, which Canaan 
begat, number eleven tribes of the Negro blood in the 
world. And, when God, the Almighty, curse anything it 
dies. But he blessed your brother Ham, and his flesh, as 
much so as he did Japheth and Shem. He made a cove- 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



23 



nant with all of you, and your seed after you. 1 Chronicles 
8:16. 

I will name some of the cities of each tribe in the Bible. 
The next is Shem's descendants, your other brother. 
He begat Elam, from whom came the inhabitants of Ely- 
mais, in Persia, Asher, the Assyrians, Arphaxad, in the 
northern part of Syria (Arrapachites from him came), 
Salah, whose descendant was Eber, forefather of the 
Hebrews, and from him came Peleg and Joktan, ancestors 
of the following Arab families : Almodad, Sheleph, Sela- 
peres, in South Arabia; Hagarmaveth, of Hadramaut; 
Jerah, said to be near the last; Hadoram, Uzal, Sanaa, in 
South Arabia; Diklah, Obal, Abimeal, Sheba, the Sabeans 
in South Arabia; Ophir, in Oman of Arabia; Havilah, of 
Haulan ; Jobab, the Jobabites, between Hadramaut and 
Oman Lud south, said to be the origin of some Ethiopian 
people. 

You can see from this, dear reader, that Shem and 
Japheth agreed to unite themselves together against Ham, 
their brother, and overpower him to make him be a tool 
for them, and not let his descendants know of his history 
only as they would see fit to give it. That is not all. 
The power there is in one, who is the Eather of us all in 
earth and heaven, thank God, there is more noble and 
glorious things of the now-called Negro, and what they say, 
4i Arise, and struggle into light, there is hope of a tree 
.after it has been cut down." The sprout, Ham, is yet in 
the earth, and will be until time shall be no more. Job 
14:9. " For there is hope of a tree if it be cut down 
that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof 
will not cease, though the root thereof wax old in the 
earth and the stock thereof die in the ground; yet through 
the sent of water it will bud and bring forth boughs like a 
plant." So it will be with the now-called Negro in the 
United States. He will prove himself a man if the other 



24 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



brother will give him just half a chance. Shem and 
Japheth, instead of you crushing your brother Ham 
down, you should help him up. But God will reward us 
all. "I am your brother in black," Bishop A. G. Hay- 
good declared in his book some years before his death. 
We notice still the remaining people of Shem and Japheth 
will mingle with the now Negro. 

Aram, Syrians and Mesopotamians from Aram, sprang 
Uz, north of Arabia; Hul, said to be in Caelo, Syria; 
Gether, Mash, the inhabitants of Mount Masius, north of 
Nesibis. These tables shall be approval to all the world 
before the blessed Father of heaven shall call for the three 
sons of Noah to render up their account, that land all 
nations will do. We say to the angels that watch over us, 
Put that on mine account. 

We shall examine the several countries and their tribes 
according to the Holy Bible and sacred writers of antiquity, 
one by one. Philemon 1:18. The regions inhabited by 
the descendants of Japheth are sometimes called the North. 
Daniel 11:5-12. " And the king of the South shall be 
strong, and one of his princes, and. he shall be strong above 
him and have dominion ; his dominion shall be a great 
dominion and in the end of years they shall join them- 
selves together for the king's daughter of the South, and 
shall come to the king of the North to make ail agreement 
but she shall not retain the power of the arm, neither shall 
he stand, nor his arm, but he shall be given up, and they 
that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that 
strengthened her in these times; but out of a branch of her 
roots shall one stand up in his estate which shall come 
with an army and shall enter into the fortress of the king of 
the North and shall deal against them and shall prevail, 
and shall also carry captives into the (now-called Negro) 
ancient Ham or Egypt, and their gods with their princes 
and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold, and 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



25 



he shall continue more years than the king of the North. 
So the king of the South shall come into his kingdom, and 
shall return in his own land ; but his sons shall be stirred 
up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces, and one 
shall certainly come and overflow and pass through ; then 
shall he return and be stirred up even to his fortress, and 
the king of the South shall be moved with choler and shall 
come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the 
North, and he shall set forth a great multitude, but the 
multitude shall be given into his hands. And when he 
hath taken away the multitude his heart shall be lifted up 
and he shall cast down many ten thousands, but he shall 
not be strengthened by it. Also I, in the first year of 
Darius, the Mede, even I stood to confirm and strengthen 
him, and now I will shew thee the truth. Behold there 
shall stand up three kings yet in Persia, and the fourth 
shall be far richer than they all, and by his strength through 
his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia." 
11:1-5. Japheth signifies enlargement, and Providence 
did in a wonderful manner enlarge the boundaries of 
Japheth. Genesis 9:22-29. You might read the entire 
chapter and see the covenant that the God of heaven made 
with our first parents after the deluge. It will be neces- 
sary more minutely to examine the past nations mentioned 
in the said preceding tables. 

Riphath. Genesis 10:3. This name is so much like 
that of the Riphean or the Ripheau mountains spoken of 
by the Romans, and which they imagined to be at the 
extreme north, that it is natural to suppose that the descend- 
ants of Riphath were spread over the northern coast of the 
Black Sea. 

The Cimmerians took their name from Gomer. They 
resided north of the Black Sea in the country now called 
Krim, and upon the rivers Don and Danube. From the 
same origin came" the nations who were kuown under the 



26 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



various names of Cirnbri, Umbri and Cambri, in the north 
and central parts of Europe. Hence said to have arose 
the Gauls, Celts and Gaels. They are mentioned among 
the Northern nations which should accompany Gog in his 
conquest. Ezekiel 38:6 ; 39:8. Gomer and all his bands, 
the house of Togarmah of the North quarters, and all his 
bands, and many people with them. They traffic in the 
now-called Negro cities (Ezekiel 38:13) Sheba and Dedan, 
and the now-called Negro merchants of Tarshish, with all 
the young lions thereof. Shall say unto thee art thou 
come to take a spoil, hast thou gathered thy company to 
take a prey, to carry away silver and gold, to take away 
cattle and goods, to take a great spoil. 

And the said Ashkenaz, except in the list of the families 
of nations (Genesis 10), we find Ashkenaz only once 
named in the Bible. Jeremiah 51:27. " Set ye up a 
standard in the land, blow the trump among the nations, 
prepare the nations against her, call together against her 
the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni and Ashkenaz, appoint a 
captain against her, cause the horses to come up as the 
rough caterpillars." Also 1 Chronicles 1:6, and then in 
connection with Ararat and the Minni provinces of 
Armenia, the utmost which we are able to say of this nation 
is that it was near Mount Caucasus, east and southeast of 
the Black Sea. 

GOG AND MAGOG. 

Gog is supposed to be the name of the people and Ma- 
gog the name of the country which comprehended the 
northern part of Armenia, the space between the Black 
Sea and the Caspian, and the borders of Scythia. Genesis 
10:2, Ezekiel 38:2-3). We shall not attempt to answer 
the question concerning the Gog and Magog in Revelation 
20:7-9: "And when the thousand years are expired Satan 
shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to de- 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



27 



ceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the 
earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, 
the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they 
went up on the breadth of the earth and compassed the 
camp of the saints about, and the beloved city : And fire 
came down from God out of heaven and devoured thern." 
That belongs to the interpretation that John said he saw 
of them, and Meshech and Tubal are named in connection 
with Magog (Ezekiel 38:2), aud are almost always united 
in the sacred scriptural notices of them. Ezekiel 27:13; 
32:26; 39:1.) Javan, Tubal and Meshech were the mer- 
chants ; they traded with the persons of men and vessels 
of brass in thy market ; yet see, (the now called Negro) 
having to trade with them in their colonies, they of the 
house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and 
horsemen and mules. The men of (the now called Negro) 
Dedan were thy merchants, and many isles were the mer- 
chandise of thine hand ; they brought thee for a present 
horns of ivory and ebony. Ezekiel 27:15. I still no- 
tice in like manner the Greek writers place the Moschi and 
Tibareni in conjunction. These are said to be the same 
people. They did inhabit the region south of the chain 
of the Caucasus from the southeast part of the Black Sea 
to the River Aras, or Araxas. They traded in (the now 
called Xegro) Tyre in persons of men and vessels of brass. 
Ezekiel 37:13-15). The Circassians, who inhabited this 
part of the world, have been noted for ages as slave-deal- 
ers, while travelers inform us that copper is abundant in 
Mount Caucasus. When the Psalmist speaks of Mesech 
and Kedar he may be understood to signify the northern 
and the southern barbarians. Psalms 120:5-7. " Woe 
is me that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of 
Kedar. My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth 
peace. I am for peace, but when I speak they are for 
war." 



28 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



TOGARMAH, ARARAT AND MINNI. 

These names are here set in conjunction because they de- 
note a single country — Armenia. Togarmah is mentioned 
with Gomfl* (the now called Negro) mingled in the cities 
and countries with them (Ezekiel 38:5-6), Persia, Ethi- 
opia, Liberia with them, all of them with shield and hel- 
met; Gomer and all his bands, the house of Togarmah, of 
the north quarters, and all his bauds, and many people 
with them ; and also with Meshech and Tubal. Ezekiel 
27:13-14. The history and tradition of the Armenians 
represent them as the descendants of Togarmah. At the 
same time it should be mentioned that Bochart and Wells 
supposed Togarmah to be Cappadocia. AVe read not only 
of Mount Ararat, but of the kingdom of Ararat. Jere- 
miah 51:27-28; Isaiah 37:38-40; 2 Kings 19:37. "And 
it came to pass as he was worshipping in the house of Nis- 
roch, his God, that Adrammelech and Sharezer, his sons, 
smote him with a sword, and they escaped into the land of 
Armenia ; and Esarhaddon, his son, reigned in his stead. " 
I see in the margin this was in the northeastern part of 
Armenia — or any other adjacent district under this head it 
would be proper to consider it, for it seems to be ancient 
Minyas, near to Mount Ararat, or either part of Armenia. 
The boundaries of Armenia may be thus stated : Colchis 
and Iberia on the north, Media on the east, Mesopotamia 
on the south, Pontus and Cappadocia on the west, and the 
Euphrates and Syria on the southwest. From the earliest 
times these countries were divided into two parts — Greater 
and Lesser Armenia. The latter is said now to be a part 
of Natolia, lying upon the western side of the Euphrates. 
It includes a portion of Cappadocia, Cilicia and Pontus, or 
the modern Caramania, Merash and Siva, and is under the 
Turkish government. Greater Armenia is on the east of 
the Euphrates, separated by Mount Taurus from Mesopo- 



THE EE VE A LED WOKD OF GOD. 



29 



tamia and Kurdistan, or the ancient (now called Negro) 
town of Assyria. 

I will now name some of the (called Negro) cities. 
Zephaniah 2:4-13. " For Gaza shall be forsaken, and 
Ashkelon a desolation ; they shall drive out Ashdod at the 
noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up. Woe unto the 
inhabitants of the seacoast, the nations of the Cherethites; 
the word of the Lord is against you ; Canaan, the land of 
the (now called Negro) Philistines, I will even destroy 
thee, that there shall be no inhabitants. And the seacoast 
shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds and folds for 
flocks. And the coast shall be for the remnant for the house 
of Judah; they shall feed thereupon; in the houses of 
Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening ; for the Lord 
their God shall visit them, and turn away their (now said 
Negro) captivity. I have heard the reproach of Moab, and 
the revilings of the children of Amnion, whereby they have 
reproached my people and magnified themselves against 
their border. Therefore as I live, saith the Lord of Hosts, 
the God of Israel, surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and 
the children of Amnion as Gomorrah, even the breeding 
of nettles, and salt-pits, and a perpetual desolation ; the 
residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant 
of my people shall possess them. This shall they have 
for their pride, because they have reproached and magni- 
fied themselves against the people of the Lord of Hosts. 
The Lord will be terrible unto them, for he will famish 
all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, 
every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen. 
Ye (now called Negro) Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain 
by my sword. And he will stretch out his hand against 
the north and destroy (the now said Negro) Assyria; and 
will make (the now called Negro king of antiquity, Nim- 
rod of Nineveh, in Shinar,) Nineveh a desolation, and dry 
like a wilderness." This was Hani's grandson, Gush's 



30 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



son's (the Negro now called) descendants, Shem and Ja- 
pheth's brother, Hani's children ; aud it is said to contain 
fifteen provinces, nine of which belong to Persia and Ar- 
menia, and has been considered by travelers as one of the 
most beautiful and fertile countries of the earth. 

Ararat is that part of Persia and Armenia, in which is 
found the modern Ervin, so said. Its longitude 44 de- 
grees 10 minutes east, latitude 40 degrees 20 minutes 
north. Mount Ararat, upon which the Ark rested, is said 
to be, unanimous, by the Mount Masis, called by Turks 
Agridah, in the northeast part of Armenia. It has two 
peaks, called the Greater aud the Lesser, Ararat. The said 
discoveries of modern travelers have placed it beyond a 
doubt, saying that this is the true Ararat; and since the 
days of Noah it is said that no human being has ever 
reached its summit. The impossibility of reaching its 
summit has been decided some years ago. I see from the 
ancient writers that large sums have been offered as a re- 
ward to any one that should reach the top of it. But al- 
though we read of many Kurds, who are said to have lived 
at its base, having attempted it, all have been equally 
unsuccessful. It is said that on these heights the snow 
and ice is sometimes visible nearly 200 miles, and are said 
to be at least 15,000 in altitude. The early history of 
Armenia is involved in obscurity, if the sacred historians are 
reliable at this date. The first kings of Armenia are 
scarcely known. The records were said to have been mis- 
placed by the (now called Negro) kings of Assyria, which 
I have told you about, and will again hereafter, just so the 
(now called Negro) records have been destroyed by the other 
brothers. But, thank God, we can arrive at a little that 
is creditable. I notice that until the time of Astyages, 
king of Media, who subdued the whole country and made 
its kings tributaries, the (now said Negro) were all one, 
equal of another in treatment. When Media, in its turn, 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



31 



was conquered by Cyrus, Armenia then became a province 
of the Persian empire, and again, under another conqueror 
Alexander the Great, who wept because he had no more 
worlds to conquee, so it has been said, and the country was 
then annexed to the Macedonian dominion. Antiochus 
the Great, of Syria was afterwards their sovereign. But he 
lost the greater part of Armenia by a rebellion. Artaxias 
then reigned as an independent king of Greater Armenia. 
The Romans and the Parthians long contended for the 
throne, until it finally became, under Trajan, a Roman 
province. 

I see that the Apostle Paul speaks of the Scythians in 
the Colossians 3:10-17: "and have put on the new man 
which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him 
that created him; where there is neither Greek nor Jew, 
circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, 
bond nor free. But Christ is all and in all. Put on 
therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of 
mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long 
suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving; one 
another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as 
Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these 
things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the 
which also ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful. 
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, 
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and 
hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your 
hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or 
deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks 
to God and the Father by him." In ancient times these 
names Scythian and Barbarian were not only used to de- 
note a particular class of people, but the now called 
Negro and all those wandering tribes whose residence was 
north and east of the Black Sea and the Caspian The 



32 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Apostle Paul seems to speak of the Scythians as a bar- 
barous nations; that is said to be the meaning in general. 
Beth-Sheau is said to have been called Scythopolis, or a 
city of the Scythians, from some occurrence during the 
invasion of (the now called Negro) Palestine or Philistine 
tribes, about 631 years before Christ. And Media was 
called by the Hebrews Madria (Genesis 10:2) and it lay 
south and west of the Caspian Sea, south of Armenia and 
north of Persia, including that province now said to be 
called Azerbijan. 

Ghilan, Mazandaran and Irak Adjemi. This country, 
which is rather greater in extent than Spain, is said to lie 
between 35 degrees and 40 minutes north latitude, and 
was among the richest and most fruitful kingdoms of Asia. 
It was said to be divided into two parts Atropatene, or 
Lesser Media, on the northwest, and the Greater Media on 
the south. Atropatene is now said to be called Azerbijan. 
The wealth of the land is almost at an end, and its fields 
and towns have become, to some extent, deserted. Shem 
and Japheth write what they choose about (the now called 
Negro) Ham's desendants. Let the descendants of Ham 
wake up and begin to used their own pens again. They 
have been sleeping on this line long enough. Tell Shem 
and Japheth you will know as much about your origin as 
they, by writing your own race history, as they have 
done, irom the altar of God. 

Greater Media, Irak Adjemi, is said to be a moun- 
tainious country, with many fertile valleys. Its climate is 
said to be temperate and its atmosphere healthful. The 
skies of Persian Irak, said to be like those of Italy, are 
probably beautiful. Those regions, however, which are 
near the Caspian Sea are unhealthy, though abundant in 
fruits and grain. Achmetha or Ecbatana was the chief 
city of Media. It is mentioned in the book of Ezra 6:2: 
* 'There was found at Achmetha in the palace that is in the 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



3$ 



province of the Medes a roll, and therein was a record 
thus written: In the first year of Cyrus the King," etc.,. 
the place where the records of the kingdom were preserved. 

In the Apocrypha (Jude 1:2-25) "Jude the servant 
of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, to them that are 
sanctified by God, the Father, and preserved in Jesus 
Christ, and called: Mercy unto you and peace and love be 
multiplied. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write- 
unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me 
to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly 
contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the- 
Saints. [The now called Negro failed to keep the message.] 
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before 
of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning 
the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the 
only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will there- 
fore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, 
how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land] 
of [the ancient (Negro now called) Ham descendant or] 
Egypt, afterwards destroyed them that believed not. And 
the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their 
own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains 
under darkness uuto the judgement of the great day* 
Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about 
them, in like manner giving themselves over to fornica- 
tion, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an ex- 
ample, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise 
also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, 
and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael, the archangel , 
when contending with the devil he disputed about the body 
of Moses [So I expect that this little volume will not 
meet the approval of those that despise the now called 
Negro, whose history is buried and can be seen by the light 
of inspiration down the ages and through the Holy Word 

3 



34 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



of God; and if you will not believe, you must be the off- 
spring of devils], durst not bring against him a railing ac- 
cusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these 
speak evil of those things which they know not, but what 
they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they 
corrupt themselves. Woe unto them, for they have gone 
in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Ba- 
laam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. 
These are spots in your feasts of charity, Avhen they feast 
with you, feeding themselves without fear; clouds they 
are without water, carried about of winds ; trees whose 
fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by 
the roots ; raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own 
shame ; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness 
of darkness for ever. And Enoch also, the seventh from 
Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold the Lord 
cometh with ten thousand of His saints [the now called 
Negro], to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all 
that are ungodly among them of their ungodly deeds which 
they have ungodly committed, and all their hard speeches 
[against the now called Xegro] which ungodly sinners have 
spoken against him. There are murmurers, complainers, 
walking after their own lusts, and their mouths speaketh 
great, swelling words, having men's persons in admiration 
because of advantage. But, beloved, remember ye the 
w T ords which were spoken before of the apostles of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, how that they told you there should be 
mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own 
ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, 
having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up your- 
selves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 
keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy 
of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some 
have compassion, making a difference. And others save 
with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the gar- 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



35 



\ment spotted by the flesh. Now unto him that is able to 
keep you from falling and to present you faultless before 
the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only 
-wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and 
power, both now and evermore. Amen. Hence we may 
find some description of this city, which was splendidly 
■and w T ell fortified. This place is now supposed to be occu- 
pied by the modern Hamadan city, latitude 34 degrees 54 
minutes north, longitude 46 degrees east. Media was sub- 
ject to the Assyrian Empire until the time of Tiglah Pileser. 
He separated Media from Assyria, who usurped the govern- 
ment of both countries. This monarch carried many of the 
Israelites east of the Jordan to Media. 2 Kings 15:28-29. 
"In the days of Pekah, king of Israel, came Tiglath Pileser, 
king of Syria, and took Ijon and Abel-bith Maachah, and 
Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, 
all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to As- 
syria." (1 Chronicles 5:26.) And there was a revolt in 
the time of Sennacherib, the grandson of Tiglath Pileser. 
He then separated Media from Assyria. Dejoces was then 
their king. After many conflicts with the Assyrians, he 
left the kingdom to Phraortes, who added Persia to his 
realms. Cyaxares, the son of Phraortes, took and destroyed 
(the now called Negro) Nineveh, and his son Astyages was 
his successor. Cyaxares II., the uncle of Cyrus the Great, 
gave up the kingdom to his more celebrated nephew, under 
whom Persia and Media became one kingdom. The Medes 
were employed in the hands of God as the instruments for 
executing his decrees against the Babylonians. " Behold 
I will stir up the Medes against them." (Isaiah 13:17; 
22:2-5). 

This punishment was also foretold by Jeremiah, (25: 
22-26). The now called Negro still holding his own in 
the utmost parts with all the nations, Zidon and (the Ne- 
gro Dedan. And who says that they were to drink of the 



36 



THE REVEALED AVORD OF GOD. 



wrath of God, which was fulfilled under Cyrus? Darius- 
succeeded to the kingdom of Belshazzar, the king of Chal- 
dea, and was himself succeeded by Gyrus. After this the 
Medes and the Persians are mentioned as belonging to one- 
empire. We see the nation which descended from Elam* 
the son of Sheru (Genesis 10:22). The children of Shem: ; 
Elam and Asshur, and Arphaxad aud Lud, and Aram.. 
These names are in conjunction with the (Negro) king of 
Shinar. Genesis 14:1-3 ; Isaiah 21:1-3 ; Jeremiah 25:25-26;. 
And in other places. " And there was strife between the 
herdsmen of Abram's cattle and Lot's herdsmen ofcattle*. 
and the (now called Negro) Canaanites and the (Negro)i 
Perizzites dwelt then in the land, aud had their own cities. 
Genesis 13. The Elamites appear to be among the peo-- 
ple in Media and of the Persian empire. Ezekiel 4:8-9;. 
And Daniel is said to have resided at Shushan, which is in« 
the province of Elam. Daniel 8:2-4. "And I saw in a t 
vision, and it came to pass when I saw, that I was at Shiir- 
shan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam, and I 
saw in a vision, and I was by the river Ulai ; then I lifted 
up mine eyes." The Greeks aud the Romans then gave 
this country the name of Elymais. It was made a part of 
the ancient Susiana, now called Kusistan. Susiana or 
Kusistan, the Elam in the Bible, is bounded by Persia or 
Farsistan on the east, Babylonia on the west, Media on the- 
north, and the Persian Gulf on the south. In the north- 
east part it is said to be mountainous, and the southern, 
portion, upon the sea, is low and marshy. The Elamites 
or the Elymeans were a warlike people and were celebrated, 
for the use of the bow. Isaiah 22:5-8 ; Jeremiah 49:34-39.. 
Shushan was the capital of Elam, and was situated upon,] 
the ancient Choaspes, now called Kerrah. It was called 
Susa by the Greeks, and is said to have been fifteen miles 
in circumference. Here stood the celebrated palace of 
Ahasuerus (Esther 1:5), and among its ruins the inhabit- 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



37 



:ants still are said to show the tomb of the prophet Daniel. 
Ezekiel speaks of Elam as " a great and terrible nation. " 
(32:20-26). Hence he declared that it should be visited 
by the judgment of God. After being subdued by the 
Chaldeans, Shushan then became the residence of their 
kings. (Daniel 8:1-6.) The Elamites are mentioned in 
the New Testament, Acts 2:5-14. Now we see the apostle 
Simon Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his 
voice and said unto them, " Ye men of Judea, and ye that 
dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you and hearken 
to my words. "And there were dwellers at Jerusalem, Jews, 
devout men out of every nation under heaven, are gath- 
ered together with the Medes and Parthians. All people 
were assembled with the now called Negro at that miracu- 
lous occurrence on the day of Pentecost. 

The history of Elam is not referred to in the sacred 
Scriptures. It is said to have been a separated country, and in 
the latter ages it was said to be a part of the Persian 
empire. The country we know by the name of Persia 
was called by the Hebrews Paras, and by the Greeks 
Persis, and by its inhabitants Fars. It is bounded by the 
Kerman or Caramania on the east, by Irak Adjemi or 
Southern Media on the north, by Laristan and the Persian 
Gulf on the south, and by Kusistan on the west. The 
country is said to be about the size of France in its limits, 
but with these are the boundaries with Persia proper. It 
is to be observed that the Persian empire was far more 
extensive, including at some period both Elam and Media. 
Within its limits (large as those mentioned above) great 
varieties of soil and climate are to be expected. The 
southern part, which lies upon the sea, is a sandy plain, 
rendered almost unhabitable by the heat and drought and 
prevalence of pestilential winds. The interior and north- 
ern districts, on the contrary, contain high land of great 
beauty and fertility, lofty mountains and valleys covered 



38 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



with verdure. The vale of Shiraz is celebrated for its cattle,, 
its fruits and its wines, as well as for its healthful atmos- 
phere. In the northern parts of Farsistan the mountains* 
which branch out of the range of Tawrus are high audi 
rugged, and the valleys are inhabited principally by wan- 
dering shepherds and herdsmen. The geography of Persia 
in the Bible deserves to be studied carefully. Tiglath 
Pileser conquered Persia and made it a part of the 
Median kingdom by Phraortes, the celebrated Cyrus, until 
Persia and Media became as one kingdom about five hun- 
dred years R. c. It was he who took Babylon and 
restored the Jews and ordered the rebuilding of Jerusalem 
and the temple; who was predicted by name as the shep- 
herd of the Lord and the deliverer of Israel (Isaiah 44: 
28-45), that says of Cyrus, " He is mv shepherd and shall 
perform all my pleasure, even saying to Jerusalem, 'Thou* 
shalt be built up/ and to the temple, 'Thy foundation, 
shall be laid.'" The successors of Cyrus, as given by 
Ezra, are Ahasuerus, Cainbyses, the conqueror of Egypt, 
or (the now said Negro) Ham. Artaxerxes is the king, 
elsewhere called Smerdis. Notice the margin, and we see 
by whose decree the rebuilding of Jerusalem was stopped.. 
Darius, who had in history the additional name of Hystas- 
peso. Under his patronage the temple was finished.. 
Xerxes, who is omitted by Ezra as having no connection 
with the sacred Scriptures, but who is named by Daniel r 
was the celebrated invader of Greece. Artaxerxes Longi- 
manus, so-called from the length of his hands, is said to be 
the said Ahasuerus of the book of Esther. With this 
prince ends the history of Persia as connected with the 
Scriptures. It is easy to determine the history of this 
great country, which lay on both sides of the river Euphra- 
tes, while its particular boundaries are not so evident. The 
Persian Gulf is said to be certainly its southern limit. On 
the other side it is more difficult to draw the line. Now 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



39 



place Mesopotamia and Assyria on the north, Persia and 
Susiana on the east, and the stormy desert of Arabia on the 
west. This country is now called Babylonia ; upon the 
borders of the Arabian desert it is called the land of the 
Chaldeans or Chaldea by Jeremiah (24:5; 25:12; Ezra 
12:13.) The two names, Chaldea and Babylonia, are gen- 
erally applied to the same country. Its ancient name was- 
Shinar (the now called Negro). Nimrod built a city 
called Babel, in the land of Shinar. This was Ham's 
grandson, the ancestor of the Negroes in the United 
States of America ; this is the same Hamitic people 
which is said by some to be the brute creatures. The 
Hamath nation (the Negroes) built four cities, viz.: 
Babel, Erech, Accad and Calneh. All this is in the above 
named country, Shinar. ("Genesis 6:10-20.) Read this 
tenth chapter carefully, also 1 Chronicles 1:8-16. It will 
give the approval of this (now called Negro) problem. 
We trust that the blessed Lord will help us to solve the 
origin to the other brothers, Shem and Japheth. They are 
rolled up in a different skin. 



CHAPTER III. 

The Christian world believes the Bible, which is the 
Word of God, and we are making ourselves to be known by 
the spoils of the temple. As we were told from Jehovah 
(Daniel 1:1-6): "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, 
king of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, 
unto Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Je- 
hoiakim, king of Judah, into his hands, with the part of 
the vessels of the house of God, which he carried into the 
(now called Negro) land of Shinar, to the house of his god ; 
and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his 
god. And the king spake unto Ashpenaz, the master of 



40 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



bis eunuchs, that he shoultUbring certain of the children of 
Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; children 
in whom was no blemish, but well favored and skilful in 
all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding 
science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the 
king's place, and whom they might teach the learning and 
the tongues of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed 
them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine 
which he drank; so* nourishing them three years, that at the 
end thereof they might stand before the king." 

And they were carried into the country by the prophet. 
(Isaiah 21:1-7; 20:1-6.) It is named the desert of the sea. 
It is caused by the overflowing of the river Euphrates. It 
resembled a sea, a type prefiguring the shameful captivity 
•of the (now called Negro) ancient Ham or Egypt and Ethi- 
opia. "In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, when 
Sargon, the king of Assyria, sent him, and fought against 
Ashdod and took it, at the same time spake the Lord by 
Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sack- 
cloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoes from thy 
foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot three 
years. And the Lord said Like as my servant Isaiah naked 
and barefoot, for a sign and wonder upon Egypt or (the 
now called Negro) Ethiopia, so shall the king of Assyria 
lead away the Egyptians prisoners and the Ethiopians cap- 
tives. Young and old, naked and barefoot, even with 
their buttocks uncovered to the shame of Egypt. And 
they shall be afraid and ashamed of (the now called Negro) 
Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory. 
And the inhabitants of this isle shall say in that day, Be- 
hold, such is our expectation; whither shall we flee for help 
to be delivered from the king of Assyria? And how shall 
we escape?" 

We are taught that Babylonia is a level country, subject 
to constant inundation from its two great rivers, especially 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



41 



from the Euphrates, which has the lower banks. In con- 
sequence of this it was said to be intersected by numerous 
-canals, some of which were remarkably large. These are 
minutely described by ancient writers. Hence it was said 
to dwell upon many waters. (Jeremiah 51:8-15.) The cli- 
mate of this country is such as to be disagreeable and un- 
healthful during the whole year. Notwithstanding the 
prevalence of great heat, there is little rain even in winter, 
and the atmosphere is peculiarly clear. The ancient writers 
speak of it as a land eminent for its fertility, and has been 
said to be rich in grain and in dates, but said to produce no 
vines, figs, or olives. Let us take a clear photograph of the 
Negro, who is despised by some of his brothers in the 
United States of America, his brothers in white, who de- 
spise him on account of the weakness of his brain. It is 
the rough element; it is not the better, because they could 
not show ignorance in such degree. Let us see the (now called 
Negro) mother town, Shinar, Babel or Babylon, which w T as 
the chief city of the kingdom, and is called by Jeremiah (50th 
chapter, 8-1 7th verses), the mother or metropolis of Chal- 
dea. It is also call Sheshach. It was the first city built 
after the flood by Nimrod (the negro) descendant from the 
seed of Ham, Gush's son. The African descendants, 
which the Christian world declares were Ham's, gender 
from him. We come after the flood. We are proud of 
the title that has been given us. Lift up your droopy 
selves; dare not wait for the other brothers to lift you up. 
Yes, upon this same ground I am writing about. Nimrod 
built the Tower of Babel. It stood where the memorable 
confusion of tongues took place. Let us notice (Genesis 11.) 
very carefully. All that relates to the early history of this 
city can be obtained from this point. Its situation is said 
to have been about 32 degrees and 25 minutes north lati- 
tude and 44 degrees east longitude from Greenwich. 
Nebuchadnezzar raised this once-called Negro city to its 



42 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



greatest glory, so that it became the seat of the universal 
empire, and was known as one of the seven wonders of the 
world. This same city at that time stood on both sides of 
the river, which intersected it in the middle. It was, ac- 
cording to the least computation, forty-five miles in circum- 
ference, but according to Herodotus, sixty miles. Its 
shape was said to be that of a square, traversed each way 
by twenty-five principal streets, which, of course, intersected 
each other, dividing the city into 625 squares. The walls,, 
from the most moderate parts of accounts, were seventy-five 
feet in height and thirty-too feet in breadth. These are 
the ancient (now called Negro) St. Ham's descendants, from 
his grandson Nimrod. We see the poor, despised Negro 
(now called) was standing in the highest circle of civiliza- 
tion in the known world at that time, but fell, as other 
nations shall do. He sitteth up one and taketh another 
down ; blessed be his holy name. It is the Most High that 
rules. We notice that Herodotus says that the heighth* 
was 300 feet, breadth seventy-five feet, they were built of 
brick, cemented with bitumen instead of mortar, and was 
encompassed by a broad and deep ditch, lined with the 
same material. Also, near the banks of the river, in its 
course through the city. The houses were said to be three 
and four stories high, separated from each other by small! 
courts or gardens, with open space, and even fields iuter- 
spersed over the immense area inclosed within the walls. 
Over the river was said to be a bridge, connecting the two 
halves of the city, which stood the one on the eastern and) 
the other one on its western bank. The bridge was said>. 
to be five furlongs in length and thirty feet in breadth,, 
and had a palace at each end, and a subterranean passage 
from one to the other. Within this city was the Temple of 
Belus, or Jupiter, which is described as a square, or a quar- 
ter of a mile. The reader may find in various histories 
particular description of this (once called Negro) tower, and. 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



also of the palaces and the hanging gardens. With justice, 
might not such a place be called great? I trust the now 
called Xegro may see his past standing in the world. (Jere- 
miah 51:50-59.) "And the glory of the kingdom, the 
beauty of the Chaldeans." (Isaiah 13:17-20.) It was a 
proud, luxurious city, See Isaiah 47:1-13. It is said to 
be used as a type of the Roman power. (Revelation 14: 
5-16; 16:19; 17:5; 18:10.) "And the great city was di- 
vided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and 
(the now called Negro) Babylon came in remembrance be- 
fore God, to give unto her the cup of the wines of the fierce- 
ness of his wrath." The first notice of a king of Babylon 
(the now said Negro) is in the Scripture, and is mentioned 
during the reign of Hezekiah, when Berodach Baladan 
sent letters and presents to congratulate the king of Judah 
upon his recovery. (2 Kings 20:1-14.) Notice, you will 
see that Baladan comeoutasan independent king of Baby- 
lon after their deliverance from Assyrian power, and is else- 
where called Nabonassa and Belesis. About 747 b. c. 
this prince, with the Arbacesof Media, Tiglath Pileser, be- 
sieged Nineveh, obtaining the victory, divided the former 
Assyrian monarchy into two kingdoms of Nineveh and. 
Babylon. After several reigns Babylon became again sub- 
ject to those kingdoms or kings of Assyria who are so often 
named in the history of the Jews, viz.: Tiglath Pileser, 
Sennacherib and Esar-haddon. Under Nabobpolassar, 
Babylon became independent of Aesyria and the seat of 
universal empire. This king was the father of Nebu- 
chadnazzer, who extended his conquests as far as the (now 
called Negro) Holy Land or Palestine, originally Canaan,, 
the Promised Land. The now called Negro descended 
from these Hamitic people. He then took Jerusalem and 
made Judah a tributary. His son, Evil Merodach, was 
murdered by his brother-in-law, Neriglissar, who then 
ascended the throne. Then followed Laboroscarchod and 



44 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Nebonadius or Belshazzar. According to the prophecies 
(the now called Negro) Babylon was in a remarkable man- 
ner destroyed by Cyrus. Jeremiah 25:11-12; Isaiah 45: 
1-4; Jeremiah 51:11; Isaiah 13:17; 21:2; Jeremiah 50: 
30; 51:35; 2 Kings 25th chapter; Jeremiah 52:26-34; 
Daniel 5: 1-17: And notice in these said predictions, al- 
most every circumstance of the siege and capture is dis- 
tinctly foretold. The glory of (the now called Negro) 
Babylon passed away according to the word of the Lord, 
so that it has been difficult in modern times to discove, 
the place where it stood. However, it seems to be made 
certain that the spot was said to be in the vicinity of 
the town of Hilleh, in the paschalic of Bagdad. Here re- 
mains a prodigious mountain of monuments said to have 
belonged to the great tower, said to have been innumer- 
able. Quantities of bricks have been dug up, many of 
which are said to contain inscriptions. These caverns and 
ruins are infested by wild beasts so as to be often inacces- 
sible. AVe notice that Dura is said to be an extensive plain 
around (the now called Negro) Babylon in Shinar that 
Ham's grandson, Nimrod, erected for the Hamitic people, 
Also lines of brick work and old foundations, where Nebu- 
chadnezzar erected the golden image. The first town that 
was built after the flood (the now said Negro) Nimrod 
built, a city by the name of Erech. (Genesis 10:10.) This 
was called Erecsa and Aracca by the Greeks, and is said to 
be the place upon the River Tigris, near the border of 
Susiana, whence the (now called) Negroes Archevites, were 
brought by Esarhadclon to colonize (the now Negro) Sama- 
ria. Ezra (4:9) then wrote Rehum, the chancellor, and 
Shim-Sbai, the scribe, and the rest of their companions 
the now called Dinaites, Aphar-Sachechites, the Tarpelites, 
the Aphrasites, the Archivites, the Babylonians, the Susan- 
-chites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites. Look at your 
despised black brother, whom God, the Father of us all, 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



45 



has made, the Hamilic race of Africa. This was the son 
of Cush. 

Nimrod built another city, Acad or Achad, in the coun- 
try of Shinar, built by the now said Negro. Scarcely any- 
thing is said to be known of its position. It is said to be 
about six miles from Bagdad. A ruin is found at a place 
called Akar-Koufif, which is said to mark the spot where 
Acad or Achad was built. 

Calneh is the fourth city that the now called Negro 
Nimrod built. It is said to be the same with Calno. 
(Isaiah 10:9.) "Is not Calno as Carchemish ? Is not [the 
now said Negro] Hamath as Arpad? Is not Samaria as 
Damascus and Canneh ? " (Ezekiel 27:23.) It stood upon 
the Tigris, and was known by the Greeks under the name 
of Ctesiph. It was a long time the chief city of the Parth- 
ians. It seems to have beeu a place of note (Amos 6:2), 
and is mentioned by Ezekiel as the (now called Negro) 
trading town with Tyre, Haran and Canneh and Eden. 
The merchants of Sheba, Asshur and Chilmad were thy 
merchants, and (the now called Negro) Dedan was thy mer- 
chant in precious clothes for chariots, the Cutha, a region 
about the Lower Euphrates. (2 Kings 17:24). " And 
the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from 
Cuthah, and from Ava, and from (the now said Negro) 
Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the 
cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel, and 
they possessed Samaria and dwelt in the cities thereof. 
We are yet taught that Babylonia was a country well situ- 
ated, for its commerce, its great navigable rivers / opened to 
it the trade of Syria and Asia Minor from above, and of 
India, Persia, Arabia and (the now called Negro) Africa 
from below. Babylon was the center to which all the treas- 
ures of merchandise were brought. (Ezekiel 27:4.) The 
looms ot Chaldea produced wares which were precious in 
the earliest times. We read of a goodly Babylonish gar- 



46 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



merit (Joshua 7:21) more than 1400 b. c. It was a coun- 
try, also, where the sciences were cultivated, although per- 
haps in manner rather superstitious than profound. They 
had their astrologers, star-gazers, and monthly prognostica- 
tes. (Isaiah 47:13; Daniel 1:20; 2:2; 2:7; 4:7; 5:7-11.) 
The language of the Chaldeans was not unlike that of the 
Hebrews. We are taught that some parts of the Old 
Testament were written in Chaldaic. 

Assyria derives its name from the Hebrew Asshur, the 
second son of Shem. (Genesis 10:22.) As the Greeks 
called him Assur, the name of the country very naturally 
became Assyria. It has been said that Ximrod and Asshur 
were the first settlers of this country, but out of this land 
(the now called Xegro) Nimrod went into Assyria and is 
said to have founded it. Assyria proper is to be distin- 
guished from the kingdom of Assyria, in the same that 
China is distinguished from the Chinese Empire. We see 
that Assyria was bouuded on the north by Armenia, the 
Gordian mountains and Mount Niphate, on the west by the 
Tigris and Mesopotamia, on the north by Persia, and on 
the south by Persia, and on the east by Media. This coun- 
try, with Kurdistan, were subject to the pacha of Mosul. 
It is said to be a well-watered and fruitful land, and once 
enjoyed extensive commerce, and grain, fruits, wine, cotton, 
and manna, are said to be produced in abundance. Hence 
the praises of the wicked Rab-Shakeh. (2 Kings 17:24- 
32; Isaiah 36:11-20.) " Until I come and take you away 
to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land 
of bread and vineyards, beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, 
saying, The Lord will deliver us. Hath any of the gods 
of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the 
king of Assyria ? Where are the gods of (the now called 
INegro) Hamath and Arphad ? Where are the gods of 
Sepharvaim ? and have they delivered Samaria out of my 
hand?" 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



47 



The Tigris is the principal river of Assyria and was called 
Hiddekel by the Hebrews. The Greater and the Smaller 
Zab, or Dsab, ran into this river from the east in a direc- 
tion almost parallel. Assyria was said to be divided into 
six provinces, of which the most northern was Arrapachitis, 
or Arphaxad, (Genesis 10:22-24.) South of this was Cala- 
•chem, said to be the Halah, or Chalach, mentioned in 2 
Kings 17:6 and 18:11. Farther south was Adiabene. 
Northeast of the last lay Arbelitis. South of these, Apollo- 
niaris, and bordering on Susiana was Sittakene. (The now 
-called Negto) Nineveh was the capital of Assyria. (2 
Kings 19:36; Isaiah 37:37; Jonah 3:1-10; Nahum 2:8.) But 
Nineveh is of old like a pool of water; yet they shall flee 
away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look 
-back." This name is said to mean the dwelling-place of 
Ninus. It was situated on the eastern bank of the Tigris, 
•opposite to the place where Mosul once stood, and ruins are 
-stl 1 1 pointed out as the remains of this ancient city. It 
was said to be founded by (the now called Negro) Nimrod, 
Ham's grandson, who was also called Ninus. The ancient 
name can be recognized in Numia, a village of which the 
ruins are there at present. Nineveh was a little inferior in 
size to the country of Babylon. The dimensions given in 
^history are as follows: nineteen miles in length, eleven in 
breadth, sixty miles in circumference. From what is said in 
Jonah (4:11) we might calculate the number of its inhab- 
itants, at the least, at 600,000. It was a city of three days 
journey, (Jonah 3:3), or sixty miles in circuit. The walls 
are said to have been 100 feet high, and wide enough for 
three chariots to pass abreast, and fortified by 1,500 towers, 
-each 200 feet in height. According to prophecy, it was de- 
stroyed by the aid of its great river, and in a sudden and 
■terrible manner (Nahum 1:10; 2:6) by the Medes and 
Babylonians. It was a wicked and luxurious city, and 
hence was destined to be smitten by the judgment of God, 



48 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



as he declared by his prophets (Xahum 1:3; Zephaniah 2:12- 
15). "And should not I spare Nineveh, that great (now- 
Negro) city, wherein there are more than six score 
thousand persons that cauuot discern between their right 
hand and their left hand, and also very much cattle?" 

The now said Negroes founded Rehoboth, a city built 
by the Hamitic people (Genesis 10:11-12), as was also- 
the two which followed, but of this place nothing is said to- 
be known. But let it be distinguished from the birth- 
place of Saul, king of Idumea. (Genesis 36:37.) "And 
Shamlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth by the river reigned- 
in his stead;" and Calah (the now called Negro) built it. 
This was said to be the same with Halah. The- 
general opinion of the said writers is that it was upon 
the Zad or Lycus. (Genesis 10:12.) Kir, to which the 
conquered Damascenes were exiled (2 Kings 16:9; Amos 
1:5), did not strictly He within Assyria, but was under the 
Assyrian dominion. Hence the Syrians are said, "Are ye 
not as children of (the now called Negro) Ethiopians unto 
me, O, children of Israel? saith the Lord. Have not I 
brought up Israel out of (the said Negro land) Egypt in 
Africa, and (the now called Negro) Philistines from Caph- 
tor, and the Syrians from Kir?" (Amos 9:7; 1:7-12.) 
Hence it was a region near the river Kur or Kuros, is 
thought to have been a river which flows between the 
Black Sea and the Caspian, and falls into the latter after 
uniting with the Araxes. This is said to have been brought 
near the site of the ancient Habor. It was a place on the 
river Gozan, where Shalmaneser placed a part of the cap- 
tive Israelites. (2 Kings 17:6.) It is thought to be the 
mountainous tract between Assyria and Media. The river 
Gozan is that which is now called Kisil-Osau. It is not 
known whether there was a line of interrupted kings from 
Asshur or (the now called Negro) Nimrod to Sardanapa- 
lus, the Hamitic people, or (the now said Negro) are the 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



49 



first monarchs that are mentioned in the Holy Bible, Pul 
who, about 770 years b. c, made Menahem, king of 
Israel, tributary to the Assyrians. 2 Kings 15:19. 

Sardanapalus is said to have been the son of Pul. He 
was besieged, as has already been said, by Arbaces, and 
Belesis, and in despair set fire to his palace and was con- 
sumed, 747 b. c. Arbaces, or Tiglath-Pileser, then fixed 
his seat of government at (the now called Negro town) Nin- 
eveh, and proceeded to invade the (now called Negro) 
inhabitants of the Holy Land, or Palestine, anciently the 
land of Canaan, Ham's son Canaan, from whence we (now 
called Negro) have descended. He carried them away 
from the north of that country to Assyria. 2 Kings 15:29. 
"In the days of Pekah, king of Israel, came Tiglath-Pileser, 
king of Assyria, and took Ijou,aud Abetbetth-Maachah, and 
Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, 
and all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to 
Assyria." Shalmaueser, or Salmon, the successor of Tig- 
lath-Pileser, took (the now called Negro) Samaria, cast 
Hoshea into prison for life, and transplanted the remnant 
of Israel to (the now said Negro) Halah, Habor, and other 
Assyrian and Median cities. 2 Kings 17:1-8. Thus 
ended the kingdom of Israel, which had continued 254 
year-. Sennacherib, the monarch who succeeded, attempted 
the subjugation of the kingdom of Judah, but was disap- 
pointed by the miraculous destruction of his vast army in 
a single night. 2 Kings 18:12-37 ; Isaiah 36:37. And 
after a reign of eighteen years Sennacherib was assassinated 
by two of his sons, the third son, Esarhaddon, hitherto vice- 
roy of Babylon, succeeded to the throne. 2 Kings 19:37; 
Isaiah 37:38. "And it came to pass as he was worshiping 
in the house of Nisroch, his God, that Adrammelech, and 
Sharezer, his sons smote him with the sword, and they es- 
caped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon, his son, 

4 



50 



THE EEVEA LED WOED OF GOD. 



reigned in bis stead." Of this king we have not read 
scarcely anything except that he sent colonists to Samaria. 
Ezra 4:2. He reigned over both the Assyrians and 
Babylonians; and is said by some to be the king of Assyria 
who took Manasseh prisoner and subdued Judea. 

About 120 years after Esarhaddon, Cyaxares, king of 
Media, and Nabopolassar, the viceroy of Babylon, united 
their forces against Assyria, destroyed (the now called 
Negro) Nineveh and divided the kingdom, so that Assyria 
itself became a Median province. 



CHAPTER IV. 

The extensive country which lies between the River Eu- 
phrates and the Tigris from their sources to Babylon, be- 
tween the thirty-third and thirty-eighth degrees of north 
latitude, is called Mesopotamia. See map of the Ameri- 
can Tract Society, Bible Dictionary, Smith's Bible Diction- 
ary. The name signifies in Greek, between the rivers. In 
Hebrew it is called Aram-Naharaim, i. e., Aram, or Syria, 
or two rivers, and Padan-Aram, the plain of Syria. The 
Arabic name is Algesira, or Eljesira, the island or pe- 
ninsula. On the west lie Armenia, Asia Minor and Syria; 
on the south, the Arabian Desert and Babylonia, or Ara- 
bian Irak; on the east, Kurdistan, and on the north, 
Greater Armenia. In addition to the Euphrates and Tigris^ 
which have been already mentioned, there is no account 
given in the Bible of any other river of Mesopotamia, ex- 
cept the Chaboras, or Chebar, on the banks of which a 
Jewish colony was said to have been planted by Nebuchad- 
nezzar (Ezekiel 1:1-4; 3:15-23; 10:15-22; 2 Kings 24:15) 
and w T here the Prophet Ezekiel sojourned. This was a 
large and navigable river. It is said to be different from 
the Chabora. It falls into the Euphrates, now called Elk- 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



51 



habur. Towards the north Mesopotamia is separated from 
Armenia by the southern branch of Mount Taurus. This 
range by the Hebrews was called Mash, by the modern 
Arabs, Judi. Genesis 10:23. The northeastern dis- 
trict of Mesopotamia, through which the Mygdonius is said 
to flow, was anciently called Mygdonia. Its chief town 
was Nisibis. and is said to bear the same name. It is 
proper to mention this place. Some of the ancient writers 
have said it is the same with the Zobah of the Bible. 1 
Samuel 14:47; 2 Samuel 8:3. " Then Saul went up from 
following the (now called Negro) Philistines, and the 
(Negro) Philistines went to their own place," which was a 
town of Coile Syria. See Ur of the Chaldeans, the birth- 
place of Abraham. Genesis 11:27-28. " Now these are 
the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor and 
Haran, and Haran begat Lot. And Haran died before his 
father Terah, in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chal- 
dees." It is said in the fourth century it was the theater 
of a war between the Roman Emperor Julian, and the Per- 
sians. It cannot be denied that there is a place in Chaldea 
proper which the Eastern Jews still call Ur of the Chal- 
clees, which is generally known by the name of Orfa, so 
says the ancient writer. The latter is said to be the ancient 
Edessa and Haran, where Terah stopped on his journey 
and died. Genesis 11:27-28. The name of this place is 
said to remain unaltered. Latitude 36 deg. 52 miu. N., 
long. 39 deg. 5 min. E. of Greenwich. It is in the northeastern 
part of Mesopotamia. The country is said to be barren and 
uninviting. The Assyrian King Sennacherib destroyed 
this town. 2 King 19:12; Isaiah 37:12. At the time of 
Ezekiel, the now called Negro carried on trade with Tyre 
(Ezekiel 38:5-23) and " Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with 
thorn; all of them with shield and helmet. Thus will I 
magnify myself, and sanctify myself, and I will be known 
in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am 



52 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



the Lord." This place is in the New Testament (Acts 
7:4) called Charran. There is Telabi, a place on the River 
Shebar or Chebar, where some of the Jewish exiles lived, 
and whither Ezekiel went. This is said to have stood 
upon the ground occupied by the modern Thalaba. Eze- 
kiel 3:15. " He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath 
made me drunken with wormwood." And Carchemish 
has been said to be on the River Euphrates, it was said 
to have been taken by Pharaoh, Necho, and then by Neb- 
uchadnezzar. 2 Kings 23:29; Jeremiah 46:2; 2 Chronicles 
35:20. Josephus speaks of the antiquity that was called 
by the Romans Circesium, and is said to be known as Kir- 
kisia. It was said to stand at the spot where the Chebar 
falls into the Euphrates (2 Kings 19:12; Isaiah 37:12), and 
Hena as above is thought to be the same as with the mod- 
ern Anah, which lies upon both sides of the Euphrates, and 
is said to have abounded with fruit. " Have the gods of 
the nations delivered them which my fathers have de- 
stroyed, as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the chil- 
dren of Eden which were in Telassar? Where is the king 
of (the now called Negro) Hamath, and the (said Negro) 
king of Arphad and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, 
Hena, and Ivah "?" Sepharvaim was one of the places whence 
Shalmaneser sent colonies into the land of Israel. It 
would appear that it was a small kingdom. It is said to 
be the same with Siphara. Thesalasar, or Thelasar, is 
said to lie in the same region, although its exact position 
has not been thought to be entirely the same with Ellasor. 
Genesis 14:1; 2 Kings 17:24; 18:34; Isaiah 36:19; 2 Kings 
19:13; Isaiah 37:13. 

In ancient times we read of Chushan-rishathaim, king 
of Mesopotamia, but a little afterwards we see the history 
of this country, and find it a part of Assyrian, Persian, and 
Macedonian empires. Judges 3:1-8. "Now, these are the 
nations which the Lord left to prove Israel by, even as 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



53 



many of Israel as had not known all the wars of (the now 
called Xegro) Canaan, Hani's son Canaan. Only that the 
generations of the children of Israel might know to teach 
them war, at the least, such as before knew nothing thereof, 
namely, five lords of the (now said Negro) Philistines, and 
all the (Xegro) Canaanites, and the (now called Xegro) 
Sidonians, and the (Xegro) Hivites, that dwelt in Mount 
Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon unto the entering in of 
(the now called Xegro) Hamath. Aud the Lord reproved 
Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto 
the commandments of the Lord which he commanded their 
fathers by the hand of Moses. And the children of Israel 
dwelt among the (now called Xegro) Canaanites, and the 
(Xegro) Hittites, and the (Xegro) Amorites, and the (now 
called Xegro) Perizzites and the (Xegro) Hivites and the 
(Xegro) Jebusites ; and they took their daughters to be 
their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and 
served their gods. And the children of Israel did evil in 
the sight of the Lord and forgat the Lord their God, and 
.served Baalim and the groves. Therefore was the auger 
of the Lord hot against Israel, and he sold them into the 
hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia, and 
the children of Israel did serve Chushan-rishathaim eight 
years." 

These are the Hamitic nations, said to be (the now 
Negroes) in the United States of America. Let us look 
for them in Asia Minor. The name of Asia Minor is given 
to that large peninsula which stretches out into the Med- 
iterranean Sea at the west of Asia. It is included between 
36 degrees and 42 degrees north latitude, 26 degrees and 
39 degrees east longitude from Greenwich. See map that 
I referred you to before. It is said to extend on the east 
to the River Euphrates, north to the Black or Euxine Sea, 
west to the Sea of Marmora, the Hellespont and the Dar- 
danelles, and south to the Mediterranean. When men- 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



tioned in the New Testament, it is said to be simply called 
Asia. Acts 19:26-27. "Moreover ye see and hear that 
not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this 
Paul hath so persuaded and turned away much people, 
saying that they be no gods which are made with hands, so 
that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at naught, 
but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should 
be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, 
whom all Asia and the world worshipped." Yet this name 
is generally given to a small portion of the peninsula, com- 
prehending, as far as we can learn, Lydia in its least sense, 
including Ionia and Aeolis. Acts 16:6; 2:7-1 1; 6:9; 19:9-23; 
20:16; 21:27; 24:19; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Corinthians 
1:8; 1 Peter 1:1; Revelation 1:4-12. " And they were all 
amazed and marveled, saying, one to another, Behold, are 
not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we, 
every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born ? 
Parthians, and Meder, and Elamites, and the dwellers in 
Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and 
Asia, Phrvgia, and Pamphylia, in (ancient Ham, the now 
called Xegro in Africa) Egypt, and in the parts of 
Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and 
proselytes. The Cretes and the Arabians (and the now 
called Negro), we do hear them speak in our tongues the 
wonderful works of God. And they were all amazed, and 
were in doubt, saying one to another, Whatmeaneth this?" 
The name of this country is Asia Minor, said to be Ana- 
doli, or Xatolia, from the Greek, meaning the rising of 
the sun. The French and Italians called it the Levant, 
which is said to have the same meaning. The face of the 
country is mountainous, and stretches in a curve through 
the whole land. Between these and a more northern chain, 
Mount Taurus, which is one of the principal ranges of 
Asia, begins in the region adjacent to the ^Egean Sea, and 
presents to view a chain of snow-clad mountains. There 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



55 



are numerous valleys which, though naturally fertile, are said 
to be mostly unproductive at this day. The chief river 
of Asia Minor is said to be the ancient Halys, and is 
called Kisil Irmak, which rises in the southeast parts, and 
takes a course first eastward, and then northward, and 
passing through a part of Cappadocia, Galatia, and Pontus, 
falls into the Black Sea, near Basira. The Iris, now the 
Jekil Irmak, rises near Kara Hissar, and falls into the 
Black Sea near Samsun. The Py ramus, now Dscheihau, 
flows to the Mediterranean Sea. The climate is said to 
be moderate on account of the sea breezes which refresh 
the land upon three sides. Dining the greatest prevalence 
of heat, the mountains afford a salutary resort. The soil 
varies in different parts. But a] though there are many 
fertile valleys, not half the arable land has been cultivated. 
The productions of the earth are wheat, rice, tobacco, saf- 
fron, olives and cotton. By the ancients, Asia Minor was 
said to be divided into twelve principal countries, some of 
which were separate kingdoms. Three of these are north- 
ern, bordering on the Black Sea, viz. : Pontus, Paphlago- 
nia, and Bithynia; three western, upon the ^Egean Sea, viz.: 
Mysia, including Troas, Lydia, with a part of iEolis, and of 
Ionia; three southern (and Caria, which took in Doris- 
and the said remainder of Ionia), viz.: Lycia, Pisidia with 
Pamphylia, and Cilicia; three in the interior, viz.: Phrygia 
with Lycaonia, Galatia, and Cappadocia with the smaller 
Armenia. Most of these are mentioned in the New Testa- 
ment, as Asia Minor was the principal field of labor of the 
Apostle Paul, also the Apostle Simon Peter the Canaan- 
ite (Matthew 10:4; Mark 3:18), and Andrew and Philip 
and Bartholomew and Matthew and Thomas and James, 
the son of Alpheus aud Thaddeus. I see that they were 
to preach the Gospel to every creature, viz.: Shem, Ham 
and Japheth. Th us you see that heaven and earth were- 
moved for all men, the Negro as well. 



56 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Pontus lies in the northeast on the Black Sea, and 
reaches from the River Halys as far east as Colchis. It is 
bounded on the west by Paphlagonia, and south by Cappa- 
docia. The descendants of Tubal are said to have been 
its earliest inhabitants. Pontus and Cappadocia formed one 
province under the Romans. There were Jews residing in 
Pontus during the time of Christ. Acts 2:0. The Gos- 
pel was preached there at an early date. The Apostle Peter 
directs his first epistle to them, among others. 1 Peter 
1:1: " Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers 
scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, 
Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the 
Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedieuce 
and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ; grace unto 
you, and peace be multiplied." 

This was the birthplace of Aquila. Acts 18:2-26; 
Romans 16:3; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19. 
Salute Priscilla and Aquila, and the household of Onesiph- 
orus, who was the companion of Paul. Among the prin- 
cipal towns were said to be Amasia Themiscyra, the resi- 
dence of the Amazons; Cerasus, whence cherries were first 
said to be brought in Europe, and derived their name cerasa, 
Latin cereals, French Trapezus, now called Trebizonde. 
These are the records of ancient writers. At a trading 
town at the mouth of the Iris, 700 families once lived. 
Paphlagonia was said to be divided by the Halys from 
Pontus, and on the west by the River Parthenius, now 
said to be Bartim, and from Bithynia. On the north 
bounded by the Black Sea, on the south by Galatia. The 
eastern part is said to be a lofty mountainous region. The 
western is a well-watered plain. The chief town was said 
to have been Sinope, upon a river of the same name, 
called Sinob, which falls into the Black Sea. This was 
said to be the birthplace of Diogenes the cynic. Bithynia 
was separated from Paphlagonia on the east by the River 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



57 



Part heiii us; on the west were the Sea of Mamora, and the 
River Rhyndacus, called Mehullidsch; on the north by the 
Black Sea, and on the south, Phrvgia aud Galatia. The 
River Sangarius, now called Sacari, falls into the Black Sea- 
Olympus is the principal mountain. Among its cities, two 
are said to be worthy of notice : Nice, which was formerly 
called Autigonia, and now Isnik, at which was held, 325 
a. d., it is said, the first general council, at which Ariau- 
ism was condemned; and Chalcedon, now called Kadikjoi, 
where was held, 451 A. d., the fourth general council, at 
which the Eutychiaus were condemned. 

The Apostle Paul was prevented from visiting Bithynia. 
Acts 16:7: "Now when they had gone throughout the 
said Phrvgia and the regions of Galatia, and were forbidden 
of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, after they 
were come to Mysia, they essayed to go into Bithynia : but 
the Spirit suffered them not, and they passing by Mysia, 
came down to Troas." Mysia was bounded north by the 
Propontus or Sea of Mamora, west by the Hellespont, 
south by ^Eolis, and separated from Bithynia on the west 
by iEspus or JEsapus, now called the Spiga. If we take 
in the JEolis, as was done in later times, the southern 
boundary will be the River Hermus, now called Sarabad, 
which is ill the northern limit of Lydia. Mysia is said to 
have been a beautiful and fertile country. In the northern 
part was Troas or the region of ancient Troy. Not far 
from the site of this was Troas, now called Eski-Stambul, 
which was twice visited by the Apostle Paul, and is said 
to be mentioned in his epistles. 2 Corinthians 2:12; 
Acta 16:8; 20:6; 2 Timothy 4:13. "Lest Satan should 
should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of 
his devices. Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach 
Christ's Gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the 
Lord." " And Samson went down to Timnath, a city, and 
saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the (now 



58 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



called Negro) Philistines, and he came np and told his 
father and his mother; and said I have seen a woman in 
Timnath of the daughters of the (now said Negro) Philis- 
tines. Bnt his father and mother knew not that it was 
the Lord that he sought occasion against the (now called 
Negro) Philistines, for at that time the (said Negro) Phil- 
istines had dominion over Israel." Judges 14:1-4. Op- 
posite to the Island of Besbos, it is now said to be a miser- 
able hamlet called Beirom. Pergamos is said to have been 
a memorable place, where one of the seven churches men- 
tioned in the Apocalypse was situated. Revelation 1:11. 
Its ancient name was said to be Bergamo. This town was 
built upon the northern bank of the Caicus. The heresy 
of the Nicolaitanes corrupted the church of Pergamos, for 
which it was reproached. Revelation 2:14-16. There 
were about 30,000 inhabitants, including 3,000 Greek 
Christians. It is said to be about sixty miles north of 
Smyrna. Lydia was bounded on the east by Greater 
Phrygia, north by ^Eolis or Mysia, west by Ionia and the 
JEgean Sea. and on the south by the River Meander, which 
divided it from Caria. This country is generally said to 
be level. The T mollis was its principal mountain, and the 
Pactolus and Cayster its chief rivers. The Pactolus was 
celebrated for its golden sands. Some of the . ancient his- 
torians have said that the descendants of Lud peopled 
Lydia. There was a people lived in Africa called Lud. 
Genesis 10:13; Isaiah 66:19; Jeremiah 46 : 9 ; Ezekiel 27: 
10; 30 :5. "I will set a sign among them, and I will send 
those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, 
Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to 
the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither 
have seen my glory; and they. shall declare my glory among 
the Gentiles." Ludim descended from Mizraim (Gene- 
esis 10: 13), as I have stated above, dwelling in (the now 
Negro) Africa, near Ethiopia; the Negroes were famous 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



59 



bowmen, and are mentioned as soldiers with the (now 
called Negro) Ethiopians, Libyans and Tyrians. 1 Chron- 
icles 1:11. The New Testament mentioned three Lydian 
cities : Thyatira, Sardis and Philadelphia. Thyatira, the 
most northern of these, was upon the River Lycus, be- 
tween Pergamos and Sardis. It was the birthplace of the 
pious Lydia (Acts 16: 14-40) and contained one of the 
seven churches of Asia. Revelation 1:11. It still ex- 
ists under the name of Ak-hisar, and contains a number of 
nominal Christians. Revelation 2 : 18-29. Sardis was 
the chief city of Lydia, and until the time of Croesus, 
who was conquered by Cyrus, the center of the Lydian 
monarchy. It lies on the bank of the Pactolus, near Mount 
Tmolus. Here was also one of the seven churches. Rev- 
elation 1:11; 3 : 1-6. It is a wretched village. We are 
informed that a few names were found in Sardis who did 
receive with gratitude the New Testatment in modern 
Greek. Philadelphia, the seat of one of the seven churches 
of Asia, is said to be about seventy miles from Smyrna, 
and was southeast of and twenty-five miles from Sardis. 
It was situated upon a branch of Mount Tmolus. In 
this place was one of the seven churches to whom the 
Savior directed his message by John. Here are to be seen 
the relics of a noble city, and is still called by the Turks 
Alah Sher, the beautiful city. We are taught that very 
near a thousand Christians resided here. See Revelation 
1:11 ; 3:1-14. 

Among the Greek colonists and churches of Asia Phila- 
delphia is still a ruin. Ionia was considered by the ancients 
a- the garden of Asia. It was bounded east by Lydia? 
north by Mysia, west by the .Egean Sea, and south by Ca- 
ria. Its chief cities were Miletus, Phocea, Ephesus, and 
Smyrna. Smyrna is the most northern and is called by the 
Turks Ismir. It is said to be situated upon a bay formed 
by the little River Melos. In all Asia there was no city 



60 



THE EEVEALED WOKD OF GOD. 



more beautiful, although it was said to be destroyed by an 
earthquake. It contained as many as 120,000 inhabitants, 
and did trade with Europe and America, being the princi- 
pal commercial town in the Levant. The Greeks had 
here a bishop and two churches. The church of Smyrna 
enjoyed the labor of the Martyr Polycarp, and was com- 
mended by the Lord Jesus Christ. Revelation 1:11; 2:8- 
11. There is no city of Asia Minor in which the Chris- 
tians are said to have been in a better condition. (The now 
called Negro) Hamath, the principal city of Upper Syria, 
was situated in the valley of the Orontes, which is com- 
manded from the lower screeu of hills which formed the 
watershed between the Orontes and the Litany, the en- 
trance of (the now called Xegro) Hamath, as it is called in 
Scripture (Numbers 34:8 ; Joshua 13:5), to the defile of 
Daphne, below Antioch. 

The (now called Negro) Hamath ites were said to be the 
Hamitic race, and are included among the descendants of 
the (now said Negro) Canaauites. Genesis 10:18. We 
must regard them as closely akin to the (now called Negro) 
Hittites, on whom they bordered and with whom they were 
generally in alliance. Nothing appears of the ftpwer of (the 
Negro) Hamath, until the time of David. 2 Samuel 
8:10. (The now called Negro) Hamath seems clearly to 
have been included in the dominions of Solomon. 1 Kings 
4:21-24. The store cities which Solomon built in (Negro) 
Hamath w T ere said to be staple for trade. 2 Chronicles 
8:4. In the Assyrian descriptions of the time of Ahab, 
900 years b. c, (now called Negro) Hamath appears as a 
separate power in alliance with the Syrians of Damascus, 
the (Negro) Hittites and now called Phoenicians (Negroes). 
About three-quarters of a century later, Jeroboam the Second 
recovered (now called Negro) Hamath. 2 Kings 4:28. 
Soon afterwards the Assyrians took it (2 Kings 18:34 ; 
19:13), and from this time it ceased to be a place of much 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



61 



importance. Antiochus Epiphanes changed its name to 
Epiphaneia. The natives, however, were the (now called 
Negro) Hamath, even in St. Jerome's time, and its present 
name, Hamah, is but slightly altered from the ancient form. 
We see that Ephesus was, under the Romans, the capital 
of Proconsular Asia and stood about five miles from the 
mouth of the River Cayster, and forty-five miles 
south of Smyrna. Here was the Temple of Diana, 
which became one of the wonders of the world 
and of posterity. Its length was said to be 425 
feet, its breadth 220, and it was supported by 127 col- 
umns 60 feet high. It is said that on the night of Alexan- 
der's birth it was set on fire by one Herostratus, but was 
rebuilt with still more splendor than before. In this edi- 
fice was the wooden statue of Diana, which the Ephesians 
supposed had fallen from heaven. Little models of silver 
were sold in this temple, made for those that were devoted 
to them. Here the Apostle Paul introduced Christianity. 
Acts 19:8-35 ; 18:19-24. 

The (now called Negro) Hittites are of Ham, descended 
from Heth, his grandson. Genesis 10:15. There was a 
(Xegro) Canaanite tribe dwelling near Hebron in the time of 
Abraham (Genesis 15:20-21), and subdued in the Israelitish 
invasion. Exodus 3:8; Joshua 3:10. We see that they 
were not, however, exterminated. Uriah was a (now called 
Negro) Hittite, whose life David had taken that he 
might have the Hittite's wife. 2 Samuel 11:3. Also, 
Solomon used their service. 1 Kings 9:20. We read of 
the (now called Negro) kings of the Hittites in the south. 
1 Kings 10:29; 2 Kings 7:6. And they were not lost as a 
people until after the Jews returned from captivity. Ezra 
9:1. It was visited also by Apollos, and was the place 
where Onesiphorus showed kindness to Paul. The church 
here was addressed an epistle by this Apostle, and after- 
wards by our Lord himself. 2 Timothy 1:18; Revelation 



62 



THE REA'EALED WORD OF GOD. 



1:11; 2:2-7. A poor Turkish village is said to be all that 
remains of the splendid Ephesus; Trogyllium, at the foot 
of Mount Mycale, where the Apostle Paul tarried for a 
night on his way from Assos to Miletus. Acts 20:13-15. 



CHAPTER V. 

Miletus is in the southern part of Ionia, and was second 
only to Ephesus in splendor. At present there are only 
ruins of certain palaces and temples, said to be near a shep- 
herd village called Palat, near the mouth of the Meander. 
Here it was that Paul gathered the elders of Ephesus and 
bade them farewell. Here he left Trophimus sick on one 
of his journeys. 2 Timothy 4:20; Acts 20: 17. Oaria 
was said to be situated at the southwest extremity of Asia 
Minor, and was bounded east by Lycia and Phrygia, north 
by Lydia and Ionia, west by the xEgean, and south by 
the Mediterranean Sea. The land is mountainous and was 
early settled by the (now called Negro) Phoenicians. 
Cnidus was a city on the point of a peninsula, and was 
passed by the Apostle Paul (Acts 27: 7) on his first voyage 
as a prisoner to Rome, and departed thence and entered 
into a certain man's house named Justus, one that wor- 
shipped God, whose house joined hard by the synag >gue. 
Lycia was bounded on the west by Caria, south by the 
Mediterranean and Syrian Seas, east by Pamphylia, and 
north by Phrygia. This country is very mountainous and 
the Saurus here has its southwestern commencement. 
Among the many cities of this province only two are said 
to be noticed in the Bible, viz.: Patara and Myra. 
Patara was said to be a large seaport town. It was 
called Arsenol by Ptolemy Philadelphia in honor of his 
queen. Here the Apostle Paul embarked for Phoenicia on 
his way to Jerusalem. Acts 21:1-2. Near the ruins of 



THE EEVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



63 



Patara is said to stand au ordinary village called Scaman- 
dro. Myra was one of the six great cities of Lycia and a 
seaport. Here, also, Paul touched on his voyage to Rome, 
and took ship for Italy. Acts 27: 5 : " And when we 
had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came 
to Myra, a city of Lycia." It is the name of that south- 
western region of the peninsula of Asia Minor which is 
immediately opposite the Island of Rhodes. The Lycians 
were to be incorporated in the Persian Empire and their 
ships were conspicuous in the great war against the Greeks. 
After the death of Alexander the Great, Lycia was included 
in the Greek Seleucid Kingdom and was a part of the terri- 
tory which the Romans forced Antiochus to cede. It was 
not until the reign of Claudius that Lycia became part of 
the Roman provincial system. At first it was combined with 
Pamphylia. Such seems to have been the condition of 
the district when St. Paul visited the Lycian towns of 
Patara and Myra. Acts 21: 1 ; 27:5. At a later period 
of the Roman Empire Lydia was a separate province, with 
Myra for the capital. Lydda, the Greek form of the name 
(Acts 9: 32-38), which appears in the Hebrew record as 
Lod, a town of Benjamin, founded by Shamed or Shamer. 
1 Chronicles 8:12; Ezra 2:33; Nehemiah 7:37; 11:35. 
It is called Lidd or Ludd, and stands in part of the great 
maritime plain which anciently bore the name of Sharon. 
It is said to be nine miles from Joppa, and is the first town 
on the northernmost of the two roads between that place 
and Jerusalem. The watercourse outside of the town is 
said to bear the name of Abi-Butrus (the Peter), in memory 
of the Apostle. It was destroyed by Vespasian, and was 
probably not rebuilt till the time of Hadrian, when it re- 
ceived the name ofDiospolis. When Eusebius wrote (a. 
d. 320-330) Diospolis was a well known and much fre- 
quented town. The ancient town is, for a Mohammedan 
place busy and prosperous. Pamphylia was east of Lycia, 



64 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



bmiuded south by the Mediterranean, north by Pisida, 
and east by Calicia. The country is said to be hilly and is 
watered by the river Eurymedon, now called St. Nicholas. 
Attalia was a city built by the Attalians. Paul visited the 
natives (Acts 14: 25) in his travels through Asia Minor. 
It is upon the sea where the river cataracts fall from a 
height into the sea. It is now called and known by the 
names Attalia, Antalia, and Satalia. Perga was once the 
capital of the province, and stood near the sea upon the 
River Oestrus. Paul was twice in this city. Acts 13: 
13-14; 14:25. It is said to be the same with Kirahisar, 
in a district called Tekieh. Pisidia was chiefly among the 
mountains of Taurus, north of Pamphylia. There was an 
Autioch in Pisidia which must be carefully distinguished 
from the Syrian Antioch, as well as other cities of the same 
name. In a synagogue of this city Paul preached a memor- 
able discourse and was expelled by the people. An in- 
significant town called Ak-Shehr occupies the ancient site 
of Cilicia and stretches along the coast of the Mediter- 
ranean from the River Melas, which divides it from Pam- 
phvlia, towards Syria, where it is bounded by the moun- 
tain Amanus. Taurus is it northern limit. 

Tarsus, the birthplace of th» Apostle Paul, and the chief 
city of Cilicia, was situated in a fertile plain upon the River 
Cydnus, now called Kara-Sei. Acts 21:39. But Paul 
said, -T am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Ci- 
licia, a citizen of no mean city, and I beseech thee suffer me 
to speak unto the people." Although it was subject in the 
Apostle's time to Roman sway, it was a free city, that is, it 
had its own municipal government and its own laws. From 
this privilege, or, possibly in .consequence of some honor 
conferred on his immediate ancestry, Paul was a Roman 
citizen. It is now said to be a poor, dilapidated town, be- 
longing to Cyprus. Acts 16:37; 22:29: "Then straight- 
way they departed from him, which should have examined 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



65 



him: and the chief captain also was afraid after he knew 
that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him/' 

Cappadocia was bounded on the east by Armenia, north 
by Pontus, west by Lycaonia, and south by Cilicia. It is 
hilly, but a fertile tract of country. Christianity was intro- 
duced into Cappadocia at a very early period. The Chris- 
tians of this province are mentioned by the Apostle Peterin 
his first epistle (first chapter, first and second verses). Some 
of these had been converted on the day of Pentecost. Acts 
2:9. The (now called) Negro was present at that same 
time. It seems from this second chapter that not any oue 
understood the Holy Ghost but the Apostle Peter. His 
original name was Simon the Canaanite. He was the son 
of a man named Jonas (Matthew 16:17; John 1:42), and 
was brought np in his father's occupation, a fisherman on 
the sea of Tiberias. He and his brother, Andrew, were 
partners of John and James, the sons of Zebedee, who had 
hired servants. The Apostle did not live as a mere labor- 
ing man in a hut [by the seaside, but first at Bethsaida and 
afterwards in a house at Capernaum belonging to himself 
or his mother-in-law. That he was an affectionate husband, 
married in early life to a wife who accompanied him ou his 
apostolic journeys, are facts inferred from Scripture, while 
very ancient traditions recorded by Clement of Alexandria, 
and by other early but less trustworthy writers, inform us 
that her name was Perpetua, that she bore a daughter or 
perhaps other children, and suffered martyrdom. Peter 
and his brother, Andrew, together with their partners, 
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were the disciples of 
John the Baptist when he was first called by our Lord. 
The particulars of this call are related with graphic minute- 
ness by St. John. It was upon this occasion that Jesus 
gave Peter the name. This, in Greek, signifies a rock, as 
does also the name Cephas, in the Syriac. Peter was one of 

5 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



the twelve Apostles, and was called Simon. I have told you 
already that he was said to be accompanied by his wife 
in his ministerial jour neys. 1 Corinthians 9:5. When first 
introduced to Jesus by his brother, Andrew, he received from 
him the name of Peter (John 1:42), said to be in reference to 
the boldness of the Apostle Peter, firmness of his character, 
and his activity in promoting his Master's cause. He re- 
ceived his second call and began to accompany Christ at 
the sea of Galilee, near his residence, and thenceforth 
learned to be a fisher ot men. Matthew 4:18-20; Luke 
5:1-11. Many remarkable incidents are recorded in the 
Gospel which illustrates this wonderful character. We see 
among these are his attempts to walk on the water to meet 
Christ (Matthew 14:29), his avowal of the Messiahship and 
divinity of the Savior (Matthew 16:16), his errors as to 
the design of Christ's incarnation, his warm attachment to 
the divine Teacher (John 6:67-69), his cutting off the ear 
ofMalchus (John 18:10), his boastful determination to ad- 
here to his Master under all circumstances, and his subse- 
quent denial of him with oaths. Matthew 26:74; Mark 
14:29; John 13:37-38. Thus the Apostle had his poig- 
nant repentance and our Lord's forgiveness after receiving 
an assurance of his love, which was thrice uttered, as his de- 
nial of Christ had been. The death and the resurrection, 
and the circumstances which accompanied them, led to a 
wonderful change in the Apostle's mind, and thence for- 
ward his bold, steadfast course is worthy of his name. On 
the day of Pentecost you see that the Apostle Peter was 
one of the principal witnesses for the Savior. In company 
with John he soon after healed a lame man at the temple's 
gate, addressed the assembled crowd, was imprisoned, and 
fearlessly vindicated himself before the Sanhedrin. Acts 
4:8-21. We find him afterwards pronouncing the judgment 
of God on a guilty couple who had dared to lie to the 
Holy Ghost ; visiting Samaria, and rebuking Simon 



THE EEVEALED WOKD OF GOD. 



67 



the magician (Acts 8:5-24; 5: i-1 1), healing JEneas and 
raising Dorcas to life at Lydda, seeing at Joppa a vision 
which prepared him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, 
So the Apostle Peter yet continues with these visions to 
preach the kingdom of God to all nations, to those that be 
in prison, just as he went in the imprisonment of Herod 
Agrippa, and delivered by an angel, and taking a part at 
the council in Jerusalem. The Bible gives us little in- 
formation as to his subsequent labors, but it is probable that 
the three apostles who were most distinguished by the 
Savior while upon earth continued to be favored as chief 
instruments in advancing his cause. Just so the (now 
called ) Negroes are at the present day. Paul speaks of James 
and the Apostles Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars 
(Galatians 2:9), yet in the same chapter we find him pub- 
licly reproving the now (called Negro) for his wavering 
(just as we have to do the so-called Negro of to-day) 
course in respect to the demands of the Judaizing Chris- 
tians, which he had been one of the first to repel at Jerusa- 
lem. Acts 15: 9. He seems to have labored at Corinth 
and at (the now called Negro) Babylon. 1 Peter 5: 13; 
1 Corinthians 1: 12; 3:22. Papal writers affirm that he 
was Bishop of Rome, but the evidence is strongly against 
this assertion. Paul wrote to the Roman Christians, giving 
them directions and saluting the principal persons byname. 
He also wrote six letters from Rome, but in none of these 
letters, nor in the narrative in Acts, is there the slightest 
intimation that Peter was or had been at Rome, and as the 
Apostle Peter had never resided at Rome, he was never 
made the head of the Church universal. Whatever honor 
and authority he received, it was from Christ in establish- 
ing the first institutions of Christianity and declaring what 
it enjoined and from what it released. The other apos- 
tles also received the same thing, and so do the ministers 
of to-day. Matthew 16:18-19; John 20:23; Matthew 18: 



68 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



18; 1 Corinthians 5:3-5; Ephesians 2:20; Revelation 21:24. 
There is no evidence that he had any supremacy over them, 
nor that he had any successor in that influence which was 
naturally accorded to him as one of the oldest, most active 
and most faithful of those who had seen the Lord. We 
have two epistles attributed to the Apostle Peter in the 
Holy Bible. Whether we are in accord with them or not, 
it is there for all nations to read, Shem and Japheth's de- 
scendants with (the now called Negro) Ham's descendants. 

Lycaonia was bounded east by Cappadocia, north by 
Galatia, west by Phrygia, south by Isauria and Cilicia. It is 
not certain whether the dialect of Lycaonia was the old As- 
syrian language or a corruption of the Greek. Iconium was 
the principal city, and was situated at the foot of Mount 
Taurus. Its present name is Conia, and it is the seat of a 
pasha. Here the Gospel was preached by Paul aud Barna- 
bas. Acts 13:51; 14:1. But they shook off the dust of 
their feet against them and came unto Iconium. And the 
disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost, and 
had great success ; although they were speedily forced 
to leave the place- (verse 6) and proceed to Lystra and 
Derbe. The latter was east of Iconium, at the foot of the 
range of mountains called Anlia Taurus, and was the birth- 
place of Gaius, the fellow-traveler of Paul. Acts 20:4. 
Lystra was south of Iconium, and is signalized by a mira- 
cle of the Apostle, and as being the birthplace of Timothy, 
the coadjutor of Paul. Acts 14:8-19; 16:1-3; 2 Timothy 
3:11. Phrygia was bound on the east by Cappadocia, 
north by Galatia and Bithynia, west by Mysia, Lydia and 
Caria, and south by Lydia and Pisidia. The land is fertile 
and said to be generally level. Several large rivers flow 
through it as the Meander and the Marayas, which after 
their junction fall into the iEgean Sea and the Herndes, 
now called the Sarabad. In the New Testament we find 
three cities of Phrygia which were all in the same region, 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 69 



viz.: Colosse, Laodicea and Hierapolis. Colosse, or Co- 
lasse, was a city on the river Lycus, now the Gorduk ; said 
to be upon the same spot are a castle and village called 
Chonos. About A. D. 65, Colosse was overwhelmed by an 
earthquake. Before this, however, a Christian church had 
been established here, of which Epaphras was the pastor. 
Colossians 1:7; 4:12-13. An epistle directed to this church 
is said to be extant among the books of the New Testa- 
ment. The Apostle Paul had twice visited the northern 
part of Phrygia, but it does not appear that he had ever 
been to Colosse. Acts 17:6, 18:23; Colossians 2:1. " For 
I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you 
and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen 
my face in the flesh, that their hearts might be converted, 
being knit together." 

Laodicea, upon the river Lycus, was the chief city of the 
province called Phrygia Pacatiana (1 Timothy 6:22), and 
a place of trade much visited by Jews. The Turkish name 
is Eski-hissar. The town was said to lay upon the confines 
of Phrygia and Lydia, about forty miles east of Ephesus. 
Let this be distinguished from Laodicea Combusta, which 
was in the eastern part of Phrygia, and also from Laodicea 
Admore, which occupied the ground of the present port of 
Aleppo, and from Laodicea Adlibanum, which was near 
Mount Lebauon in Syria. There was a church here when 
Paul wrote to the Colossians (4:16). And to this church 
was directed the warning recorded in the Apocalypse. 
Revelation 1:11 ; 3:14-22. Hierapolis, now Pambuk- 
kulassi, was south of Laodicea, aud though remarkable for 
its hot baths aud its ancient splendor, is mentioned but 
once in the Bible. It was five miles from the city last 
mentioned. Colossians 4:13. " For I bear him record 
that he hath a great zeal for you and them that are in Lao- 
dicea and them that are in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved 
physician, and Demas greet you." Galatia was bounded 



70 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



on the north by Paphlagonia, west by Bithyuia and a part 
of Phrygia, south by Phrygia and Cappadocia, and east by 
Cappadocia and Pontus. The inhabitants were the Celts 
or Gauls, who settled here some centuries before Christ. 
The Galatians were said to be a warlike people, and often 
served in foreign wars. Ancyra, now Angura, or Enguri, 
was the chief city. Christianity was introduced into Ga- 
latia by the Apostle Paul (Galatians 1:6-8, 4:13), who was 
said to have visited the country twice. The first of these 
visits was said to be in company with Silas and Timothy 
(Acts 16:3) about the year 53, as was said, the other four 
years later on his return from Corinth. Acts 18:23. One 
of his companions in labor, by name Crescens, appears to 
have preached in Galatia. 2 Timothy 4:10. " For Demas 
has forsaken me, having loved the present world, and is 
departed unto Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto 
Dalmatia." 

Syria (called Aram in the earlier Scripture writings 
from Aram, son of Shem), an extensive empire of 
the east, including in its largest sense all the country 
between the Mediterranean Sea and the River Cydnus on 
the west, the Euphrates on the east and from Mount 
Taurus on the north, to the confines of (the now called 
Negro) Egypt, or ancient Ham, and Arabia on the 
south, has usually been divided for description sake 
into Upper Syria or Syria Proper, which was so denom- 
inated before it was conquered and incorporated with 
Assyria, called Syria or Hollow Syria, so called from its 
situation between the two great ridges of Libanus and 
Antilibanus, and (the now called Negro) Syria Pales- 
tina, which does include the (now said Negro) ancient 
Holy Land and that maritime border on its northwestern 
side which the Greeks called Phoenicia. The greatest 
and most famous range of mountains in Syria is Leb- 
anon, an extensive and lofty chain which stretches 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



71 



from the seashore in the two parallel branches from 
southwest to northeast; the more southern of these is 
Autilibanus or that is over against Lebanon proper; an 
eastern branch of this is called by Moses Hermon 
(Deuteronomy 3:9 ; 4:48) and also Sion. In the former 
reference the (now called ^"egro) Sidonians, we are told, 
called it Sirion and the (Xegro) Amorites called 
it Shenir. Both these names means a coat of mail. In 
the later books of the Old Testament they are said to be 
distinguished from one another. 1 Chron. 5:23; Song 
of Solomon 4:8. Amaua was said to be a peak of 
the same mountain; between Libauus or Lebanon and 
Antilibanus is included, as stated above, (Joele Syria. 
Lebanon was so called from it whiteness, not only be- 
cause of its eternal snows, but from its huge lime- 
stone rocks flowed the purest waters (Song of Solomon 
4:15); a fountain of gardens, a well of living waters 
aud streams from Lebanon, and above them the moun- 
tain summits were covered with snow. Hence we 
may discern the beauty and propriety of the compari- 
son (Jeremiah 18:14) : Will a man leave the snow of 
Lebanon, which comes from the rock of the field, or 
shall the cold flowing waters that come from another 
place be forsaken? The lower parts of the mountain are 
as delightful as the heights, aud are terrible. To enjoy 
the pure air and charming prospects of these Solomon 
erected buildings there. 1 Kings 9:10. The wines of 
these tracts are celebrated. Hosea 14:7: They that 
dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive 
as the corn and grow as the vine ; the scent thereof 
shall be as the wine of Lebanon. The cedars of Leba- 
non have become proverbial and excel those of all 
other lands. Besides their uncommon size and "beauty 
of shape and foliage, they send forth a balsamic odor 
which seems to be meant by the smell of Libanus. Hos. 



72 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



14:16; Solomon's Song 4:11. This cedar was abundant 
in ancient times • of this wood were built the city of 
Persepolis, the temple at Jerusalem and the palace of 
Solomon. And in the last of these, so much of this 
material was used that it was called the house of the 
forest of Lebanon. The Tyrians used it in ship build- 
ing. 1 Kings 7:2; 10:17; Ezekiel 27:4-16. The 
(now called Negro) Arvadites, and the (Negro) 
Dedan and the (Negro) inhabitants of Zidon and 
Arvad were thy mariners. Thy wise men, O Tyrus, that 
were in thee were thy pilots; the ancients of G-ebal aud 
the wise men thereof were in thee thy calker3; all the 
ships of the sea. 

Mount Hor was said to be a northeastern branch of 
Lebanon and the northern boundary of the land of Israel 
(Numbers 34 : 6-9). From Mount Hor ye shall 
point out your border unto the entrance of (the now 
called Negro) Hamath and the going forth of the 
border shall be to Zedan. The Hamitic people (now 
called the Negro) on the Orontes and the Eleutherus 
are the most distinguished rivers of Syria, but we 
pass them by as they are not named in the Bible. 
The Abana was a river of Damascus. Mentioned (2 Kings 
5:12) by Naaman the Syrian : Are not Abana and 
Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters 
of Israel? may I not wash in them and be clean? So 
he turned and went away in a rage. It is generally 
said that it was one of the branches of the Chrysorroas, 
now said to be Baradi, which rises in Antilibanus, and 
said to be divided in five streams, which waters the 
whole country around Damascus, so as to make this 
region, in the midst of the desert, truly fertile and 
beautiful. The Pharpar named in the same con- 
nection is said to be the river now called Fidsheh. It 
rises northwest of Damascus and unites its clear and 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



73 



beautiful waters with those of the Baradi. Syria 
Proper embraces that country which lies between the 
mountains Amanus and Lebanon on the north and 
south and between the Euphrates and the Mediter- 
ranean on the east and west. It was said to be divided 
during David's time into several small kingdoms, 
which are thus named in the Scriptures: Aram Zobah, it 
should be remembered that Aram is the Hebrew name 
of Syria. This portion of Syria lay upon the River 
Euphrates, for when David went to recover his border 
upon the river he smote Hadarezer, king of Zobah. 
After this Hadarezer brought as allies the Syrians 
that were beyond the river (2 Samuel 8:3; 1 Chron- 
icles 18:3; 2 Samuel 10:16), that is the Mesopota- 
mians from the east of Euphrates. Berothai is said to 
be the ancient Beyroot, and if so Aram Zobah ex- 
tended westward to the Mediterranean. Zobah is 
often mentioned (2 Samuel 8:8 ; 1 Samuel 14:47 ; 
10:H ; 1 Kings 11:23-25), aud is said to be placed 
between Damascus and Aleppo. Aram Damniesek, 
or the Syrians of Damascus (2 Samuel 4-7), a part 
of Damascus Syria, seems to be meant by the land of 
Hadrach, which is said to be connected with Damascus 
(Zechariah 9:1) : "The burden of the word of the Lord 
in the land of Hadrach, aud Damascus shall be the rest 
thereof ; when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of 
Israel, shall be toward the Lord, and (the now called 
l^egro) Hamath shall border thereby ; Tyrus and 
Zidon, though it be very wise ; and Tyrus did build 
herself a stronghold and heaped up silver as the dust 
and line gold as the mire of the streets. Behold the 
Lord will cast her out and he will smite her power in 
the sea and shall be devoured with fire. Ashkelon 
shall see it and fear; Gaza also shall see it and be very 
sorrowful, and Ekron for her expectation shall be 



74 THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 

ashamed and the (now called Negro) kings shall 
perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited. 
And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod and I will cut 
oft* the pride of the (now called Negro) Philistines ; and 
I will take away his blood out of his mouth and his 
abominations from between his teeth; but he, that re- 
maineth, even he shall be for our God and he shall be 
as a governor in Judah and Ekron as a (now called 
Negro) Jebusite." Aram Maachah (1 Chronicles 19 :6) r 
translated Syria Maachah, and sometimes called 
simply Maachah (2 Samuel 10:5-9), seems to have 
been situated south of Damascus on the east of the 
Jordan and the north of the Hebrew country ; for the 
Reubenites and Gadites possessed as far north as 
Maacha, Deut. 3:14; Joshua 1:14. The (now called 
Negro) Canaanites, the five (Negro) kings of the Philis- 
tines, the (Negro) Sidonians to the entering in of 
(the now called Negro) Hamath, Aram Beth Rehob. 
— The Syrians of Beth Rehob (2 Samuel 10:6) were 
allies of the Ammonites against David. It lay upon the 
north frontier of the Israelites' territory for Laish, which 
was taken by the Danites. Judges 1:31 ; 18:28. Was 
near to Beth Rehob, and the Asherites are said to have 
not driven out the inhabitants of Rehob; it is therefore 
considered as the country now called Ardelhhule, at 
the foot of Antilibanus, near the sources of the Jordan. 
Hul was the name of a son of Aram. Genesis 10 :23. 
(The now called Negro) Hamath was a province upon 
the Orontes, with a city of the same name which it 
still retains. In Genesis 10:18 the (now called 
Negro) Hamathites are named among the descendants 
of the (now said Negro) Canaanites and in later 
times we read of Hamath as the northern limits of the 
laud of the Hebrews. In David's time Toi was king 
of 7 (the now said Negro) Hamath. Numbers 13:21 ; 



THE EE VE A LED WORD OF GOD. 



75 



34:1-8; Joshua 13:1-5 ; Judges 3:3 ; 2 Samuel 8:8-12. 
a All nations which he subdued, of Syria and 
Moab and of the children of Amnion, and of the 
Philistines and of Amalek and of the spoil of Had- 
arezar, son of Rehob, king of Zobah." 

Arpad. — Arpad is always joined with (the now called 
Negro) Hamath. 2 Kings 18 :34 ; 19 :13; Isaiah 10 :9; 
36:19; Jer. 49:23. Is not Calno as Carchemish ? is not 
(the said Negro) Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria 
as Damascus? As my hands hath found the 
kingdoms of the idols and whose graven images did 
excel them of Jerusalem and her idols. Whence it is 
inferred that it was adjacent to the latter upon the 
east. Hauran is named by Ezekiel (47 :16-18) (the 
now called Negro) ; Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which 
is between the border of Damascus and the border of 
Hamath; Hazarhatticou, which is by the coast of 
Hauran. And the border from the sea shall be Haz- 
arenan, the border of Damascus and the north north- 
ward, and the border of the (Negro) Hamath; and this 
is on the north side ; and the east side you shall measure 
from Hauran and from Damascus and from Gilead and 
from the land of Israel by Jordan from the border by 
the east side and unto the East sea, as the future 
boundary of Israel upon the north. The name is re- 
tained in the Greek Auranitis or Oranitis, and the 
country reaches from the sea of Tiberias on the east 
of the Jordan as far north as Damascus. 

Geshur, a district of Syria, bordered upon the north 
of the Hebrew territory (2 Sam. 5:8; 1 Chron. 2:23), 
lay between Mount Hermon, Maachah and Bashad. 
Deuteronomy 3 :12-14; Joshua 12. We find thirty-three 
(now called Negro) cities of the Hamitic race ; the 
Geshurites and the Maachites were not expelled by the 
Israelites under Joshua (Joshua 13:1-14; 2 Samuel 



76 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



3:3-13, 37; 15:8) and in David's reign Geshur 
had its own king, Talmai, whose daughter, Maachah, 
was the mother of Absalom. The name of Geshur is 
said to signify a bridge ; from this conies the Arabic 
Jisr or Jisser, and in this region where we place 
Geshur between Mount Hermon and the sea of 
Tiberias, was said to be a bridge over the upper Jordan, 
called Jisr-Beni-Jaub, the bridges of the sons of Jacob. 
Abilene was governed by a certain Lysauias, about the 
time of Christ, who had the title Tetrarch. It was said 
to be adjacent to Galilee, Ituria and Trachonitis 
being northwest of Damascus and south of Heliopolis 
or Balbec. Here is where the city of Ahela were said 
to be. 

We are taught that it was under the Ottoman power. 
Syria is divided into five districts, under as many 
pachas or governors, viz.: 1. The pachalic of Hhaleb or 
Aleppo, comprising Aintab, Badshasse, Alexandrette 
and Antakia. 2. The pachalic of Damascus, including 
Hebron, Jerusalem, Nablus, Bostra, Hhoms and 
Hhamah. 3. Pachalic of Tarablus or Tripoli, to which is 
subordinate the country on the coast from Dschebail 
Byblus northward to Latakia. 4. The pachalic Seida 
or Akka from Dschebail southward to Jaffa, including 
the mountain of Druses, the pachalic of Gaza, in which 
is Jaffa. 

We shall find it most convenient in enumerating the 
places of Syria, which are mentioned in the Scriptures, 
to proceed regularly from north to south. Seleucia 
was a seaport town built by Seleucus Mcator, the 
first Grecian King of Syria, near the mouth of the 
routes or Asia. Here the Apostle Paul took ship for 
Cyprus. A village or ruins may be still found there 
inhabited chiefly by Armenians and are called Kapsi 
Antioch on the Orontes. Acts 13 :4. So when they 



THE REVEALED WOED OF GOD. 



77 



being forth by the Holy Ghost departed unto Seleucia, 
and from thence they sailed to Cyprus, and when they 
were at Salamis they did preach the word of God in 
the synagogues of the Jews. About midway between 
Constantinople and Alexandria in 35 deg. 17 min. 
N. lat. and 35 deg. 45 min. E. long, from Greenwich. 
It was about twenty miles from the sea and long the 
residence of the Syrian kings. The Apostle Paul and 
Barnabas preached at Antioch, and here the disciples 
were first called Christians. The poor remains of this 
city are called splendid by the Arabs. Antakia. — A few 
Greeks and Armenians were said to reside here. Hel- 
bon or Aleppo, called likewise Chalydon and Hhaleb, 
was one of the most ancient, richest and populous 
of the Syrian cities ; its trade with Tyre is noticed by 
the Prophet Ezekiel (27:15-19): The (now called 
Negro) Dedan were thy merchants. Many isles were 
the merchandize of thine hand ; they brought thee for 
a present horns of ivory and ebony. It was said to be 
one of the most agreeable cities in Turkey and con- 
tained in 1815 something less than one hundred thou- 
sand souls. In 1822 it was said to be almost entirely 
destroyed by a tremendous earthquake. Rezeph was 
mentioned by RabSakeh (2 Kings 19:12; Isaiah 37:12) 
among the cities of Mesopotamia and Syria, which 
the Assyrians had taken ; it stood about a day's 
journey west of the Euphrates, where the ancient 
Arsoffa were found. Tiphsah was [the boundary 
of Solomon's kingdom toward the northeast as 
Gaza or Azzah was upon the southwest. 1 Kings 
4.24. The name signifies a ford, and it was said 
to be a crossing place upon the Euphrates. It is 
said to be a different place from Tiphsah which 
was conquered by Menahem. 2 Kings 15 : 16. 
J udah and Israel were many as the sand which is by the 



78 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



sea, in multitudes eating and drinking and making mer- 
ry. And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the 
river unto the land of the (now called) Philistines (Ne- 
gro race) and unto the border of ancient Canaan, or 
Egypt, or Ham's (the now called Negro). They brought 
presents and served him all of the days of his life. And 
Rehoboth by the river Euphrates, which is named as 
the native place of King Saul of Edom. Genesis 36:37. 
And Samlah died and Saul of Rehoboth by the river 
reigned in his stead. This is said to have been the 
same as to the situation with the modern Errachaibi, an 
Arabian town near the Euphrates. The (now called 
Negro) Hamath town on the Orontes is very fre- 
quently mentioned in the Old Testament. This town 
was in David's time the capital of a small kingdom, as 
I have already told you, called Hamath the Great by 
Amos (sixth chapter, first and second verses) : " Woe 
to them that are at ease in Zion and trust in the moun- 
tain of Samaria, which are named the chief of the na- 
tions, to whom the house of Israel came ! Pass ye unto 
Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the 
Great (the now called ancient Negro towns, the de- 
scendants of Ham), then go down to Gath of the (now 
said Negro) Philistines ; be they better than these king- 
doms? or their border greater than your border? Ye 
that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of 
violence to come near. It was said conquered by the As- 
syrians during the reign of Hezekiah. 2 Kings 17:24; 
18:34; 19:13; Isaiah 10:9; 36:19. The name in later 
times was the Epiphania, but it has at present resumed 
its old name, Riblah, and was one of the places 
through which the northeastern line of the Hebrews' 
territory passed. Numbers 34:11. And the coast shall 
go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of 
A in; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



79 



the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward: and the 
border shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of 
it shall be at the salt sea ; this shall be your land with 
the coasts thereof round about. 

When the Chaldeans conquered Jerusalem this city 
belonged to the district of (the now called Negro) Ha- 
math (2 Kings 23:33; Jeremiah 39:4-6; 52:10) and was 
called the place of the conqueror's headquarters. Its 
exact situation cannot be discovered. But the Chal- 
deanspursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the 
plains of (the now called Negro) Jericho; and 
when they had taken him, they brought him 
up to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (in the 
Negro land, Shinar), to Riblah in the land of (the 
now called Negro) Hamath, where he gave the judg- 
ment upon him. Then the king of Babylon slew the 
sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes. Also the 
king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah. 

Tadmor or Thamar, a city built by Solomon (1 Kings 
9:18; 2 Chron. 8:4), between the Euphrates and (the Ne- 
gro) Hamath. and southeast of the latter. The Hebrew 
name signilies a palm tree, and hence the Greeks 
called it Palmyra, the city of palms. It was said to be 
about 180 miles from the Mediterranean. The ruins 
still existing show that it was one of the most glorious of 
ancient cities. At the present, I am told, it is a forest 
of Corinthian pillars, erected and fallen in the midst of 
an arid desert. It is said to be 200 miles southeast of 
Aleppo. Longitude 38 degrees 50 minutes east, lati- 
tude 33 degrees 20 minutes north. Baalgad was sit- 
uated in the valley of Lebanon, under Mount Hermon, 
and was among the places unconquered by the Israelites 
at the death of Joshua. Joshua 11:18; 12:7; 13:5. By 
the Greeks (the now called Negro) Hamath was said to 
be the Heliopolis and by the ancient natives Balbec, 



80 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



both of which mean the city of the sun. It was said to 
be the place called (Solomon's Song) Baal-hamon, also 
JBaalath. It is situated at the foot of Lebanon, or at Anti- 
lebanon. Solomon 8 ; 1 Kings 9:16-21. "The (now 
called Negro) Canaanites, the Jebusites, and all the 
(Negro) Amorites, the (Negro) Hittites, the (now said 
Negro) Perizzites, Hivites. Just here the mountain 
ends in a plain, and presents to the travelers a magnifi- 
cent spectacle of ruins, among which those of the Tem- 
ple of the Sun are most conspicuous. Balbec is 37 
miles north of Damascus; longitude 37 degrees 20 min- 
utes east, latitude 34 degrees 22 minutes north. 

Damascus. — The most ancient city of which ruins are 
said to exist. Hebrews called it Dammesek, the Arabs 
Dimashk, the Syrians Darmsuk, and the ancient in- 
habitants Elsham. Bv the Arabs it is said to be num- 
bered among the Eastern Paradise. They are said to 
be situated upon the river Baradi. The ancient Ohrys- 
orroas is said to be 200 miles from Antioch. Its popu- 
lation is at least numerated for 100,000. The ancient 
walls are in ruins, but the city was said to be distin- 
guished for trade. The water is unequalled, and the 
climate a perpetual spring. It was the native place of 
Eliezer, the servant of Abraham. It was subdued by 
David. 2 Samuel 8:4-6; Genesis 15:2-3. And Abram 
said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing that I 
go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer 
of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou 
hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is 
mine heir. And David placed a garrison there during- 
the latter part of Solomon's reign. It was invaded and 
possessed by a certain man named Rezon. 1 Kings- 
11:21-25. Long after this, Asa, king of Judah, entered 
into a league with Benhadad, the king of Damascus. 
1 Kings 15:17-22. Jeroboam conquered this city. 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



81 



2 Kings 14:28. We see in New Testament times it is 
found under subjection to Aretas, king of Arabia, from 
whose governor the Apostle Paul escaped. 2 Corinth- 
ians 11:31-33. 

Hobah, a place north of Damascus. Genesis 
j 4:15. Abram pursued thus far the kings whom he 
conquered. A hill is still shown to travelers near Da- 
mascus, which is said to be the same place and which 
bears the same name. Beth-Eden, or House of Pleasure, 
is referred to by the Prophet Amos (1:5), and appears 
from this passage to have been the seat of a kingdom 
770 years before Christ. The modern village, Ehden, 
on Mount Lebanon, is by the Oriental Christians said 
to be within the limits of Terrestrial Paradise. The 
modern traveler Burckhardt is said to have found a 
place still nearer to Damascus which had a name of the 
same signification, viz.: Blit-el-Dschanne, and which is 
said to be the house of Eden mentioned by the prophet; 
Thus saith the Lord, for three transgressions of Damas- 
cus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment 
thereof, because they have threshed Gilead with thresh- 
ing instruments of iron, but I will send a fire into the 
house ofHazael, which shall devour the palaces of Ben- 
hadad. I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut 
off the inhabitants from the plain of Arven, and him 
that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden, and 
the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, 
saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, for three trans- 
gressions of (the now called Negro) Gaza, and four, I 
will not turn away the punishment thereof because they 
carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them 
up to Edom. But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, 
which shall devour the palaces thereof, and I will cut 
off the inhabitants from Ashdod, and him that holdeth 

6 



82 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn my hand 
against Ekron, and the remnant of the (now called) 
Philistines. (Negro) JBerothai, or Berothah is said to 
be the ancient Bey root, hut this is said to be left with 
great certainty. And I am constrained to seek it for 
my people. 2 Samuel 8:8; Ezekiel 47:16. (The now 
called Negro) Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is be- 
tween the border of Damascus and the border of (the 
now called Negro) Hamath; Hazarhatticon, which is 
by the coast of Hauran. And the border from the sea 
shall be Hazarenan, the border of Damascus, and the 
north northward, and the border of (Negro) Hamath. 
And this is the north side. Betah is mentioned in con- 
nection with Berothai, and is likewise known. The 
same must be of Sibraim, a neighboringplace. Ziphron, 
Zedad and Hazarenan were upon the northeast frontier 
of Israel, but their exact position is said to be undeter- 
mined. Numbers 34:8-10; Ezekiel 47:15. Hazarhatti- 
con or middle court was situated on the borders of Hau- 
ran or .Auranitis, and consequently upon the southeast 
border of Syria. The forty-seventh chapter of Ezekiel 
and sixteenth verse. Hethlon appears to have been near 
the Mediterranean, on the southwest border of Syria. 
Now these are the names of the tribes. From the 
north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one 
goeth to (the now called Negro) Hamath Hazarenan, 
t h e b o r cl er o f D a m as cu s n o rth w ar d , t o t h e co ast of H a m at h ; 
For these are his sides, east and west. A portion of 
Dan Helam (2 Samuel 10: 17.) was said to be upon the 
southeastern frontier of Syria. "And when the Syrians 
saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered 
themselves together. And Hadarezer sent and brought 
out the Syrians that were beyond the river, and they 
came to Helam, and Shobach, the captain of the hosts 
of Hadarezer, went out before them. And when it was 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



83 



told David he gathered all Israel together and passed 
over Jordan and came to Helam. And the Syrians set 
themselves in array against David and fought with 
him." Syria divides itself into three tracts of country 
very different in character. That portion which is ad- 
jacent to the Mediterranean Sea is a hot, moist, un- 
healthful, but extremely fertile valley. That part next 
in order consists of a double range of parallel moun- 
tains, rising from southwest to northeast, with innumer- 
able cliffs, narrow valleys and ravines. The air is here 
dry and salubrious, and in the western branches of the 
mountains natural terraces alternate with well watered 
vales, which have the most gentle and productive soil ; 
while on the other hand, the eastern heights are moun- 
tain deserts, which approach to the third region. The 
east appears to be extensive and level rocks ; and sand, 
with endless plains. The spring and autumn are said 
to be pleasant in Syria, and the summer is moderately 
warm in the hilly country, but in the plains the heat 
begins suddenly as soon as the sun is said to have 
reached the equator, and is said to last till the end of 
October. The winter, on the contrary, is mild until the 
pomegranate, date, banana and other delicate trees and 
plants grow and flourish in the open field, while the 
peaks of Lebanon are glistening with ice and snow. 
Syria has been subject to earthquakes and to destruc- 
tive visitations of the locusts. The language of ancient 
Syria bore a close resemblance to the Hebrew and 
Arabic, but was more like the Chaldean. The Arabic 
has, in a great measure, supplanted the Syrian language. 
Syria was, in the early ages of its history, said to be di- 
vided into a number of petty kingdoms, as Zobah. 1 Sam- 
uel 14:47; 2 Samuel 8:3; 3:3; 10:6. The (now called 
Negro) Philistines. And whithersoever he turned him- 
self he vexed them. And Damascus, the king of these 



84 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



countries, was in almost constant war with the Hebrews 
and the other nations. Saul contended with the kings 
of Zobah (1 Samuel 14:47) smd David with Haclarezer 
of the same region. 2 Samuel 8: 5. During the reign 
of Solomon, a king of Zobah of this name is also men- 
tioned. 1 Kings 11:23. Tabrion, king of Syria, was 
an ally of Abijah, but their descendants, Benhadad and 
Asa, were at war. The kings of Israel and Judah, 
Ahab and Jehoshaphat, entered into a league against 
Benhadad the Second (1 Kings 22: 3-5; 15:19; 2 Kings 
6; 10:32; 12:16-18; 13:20-22; 1.4:28) but without suc- 
cess, for the latter besieged Samaria and caused great 
distress in Israel. Hazael conquered Israel and op- 
pressed it all the days of Jehoahaz. But Benhadad the 
Second was made tributary by Jeroboam of IsraeL 
Hezin, by means of an alliance against Judah with 
Pekah, king of Israel, sought to gain possession of Jeru- 
salem, but Ahaz called to his assistance the power of 
the Assyrians, who slew llesin, took Damascus, and car- 
ried the people of it captive to Kir. Syria then became 
subject in turn to Assyria, Babylon and the Persian, 
domain. 2 Kings 16:5-10: "Then Iiezin, king of 
Syria, and Pekah, son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came 
up to Jerusalem to war, and they besieged Ahaz but 
could not overcome him. At that time Kezin, king of 
Syria, recovered Elath to Syria, and drove the Jews 
from Elath, and the Syrians came to Elath and dwelt 
therein unto this day. So Ahaz sent messengers to 
Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria, saying: 'I am thy 
servant, and thy son came up and saved me out of the 
hands of the king of Syria and out of the hands of the 
king of Israel, which rose up against me.' And Ahaz. 
took the silver and gold that was found in the house of 
the Lord, and in the treasures of the king's house, and 
sent it for a present to the king of Assyria. And the 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



85 



king of Assyria hearkened unto him, for the king of 
Assyria went up against Damascus and took it and car- 
ried the people of it captive to Kir and slew Rezin. 
And King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath- 
Pileser, king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at 
Damascus. And King Ahaz sent to Urijah, the priest, 
the fashion of the altar and the pattern of it according 
to all the workmanship thereof." 

Arabia is that great peninsula which is bounded on 
the north by part of Syria, Dierbeker and Irak; on the 
east by the Euphrates and the Persian Gulf ; on the 
south by the Indian Ocean, and on the west by the Red 
Sea, the (now called Negro) Holy Land, the ancient 
Philistines by the Greeks or Hamites, the Palestine and 
part of Syria. By the inhabitants it was called Jesirat-el- 
Arab, or the peninsula of the Arabs. The ancient He- 
brews denominated this region the east country. Gene- 
sis 25:6: "And its inhabitants the children of the 
east.'* Judges 6:3; Job 1: 1-4; 1 Kings 4: 30; Isaiah 11: 
14. By Arabia they meant only a small district of the 
country, now so called. " There was a man in the land 
of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was perfect 
and upright, and one that feared God and eschewed evil. 
And there was born unto him seven sons and three 
daughters. His substance, also, was seven thousand 
sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred 
yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very 
great household, so that this man was the greatest of all 
the men of the east." Ezekiel 27: 21; 2 Chronicles 21: 
15-18. Thus the Arabians are placed in connection 
with the (now called Negro) Philistines. 2 Chronicles 
26: 5-8 : "And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, 
who had uuderstauding in the vision of God. And as 
long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper. 
And he went forth and warred against the (now said 



86 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Negro) Philistines, and broke down the (Negro) towns 
of the walls of Gath and the (now called Negro) walls of 
Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod." All these are the 
(now called Negro) built cities about Ashdod, and were 
among the (now called Negro) Philistines, Hani's de- 
scendants in America. Genesis 10; 1 Chronicles 1. 
"And God helped him against the (Negro) Philistines; 
and against the Arabians that dwelt in Geerbaal, and 
the Mehunims, and by all the kings of Arabia." We 
may understand that the chiefs of the wandering tribes, 
who, like the modern Bedouin Arabs, lived in tents. 
Isaiah 13: 20; 1 Kings 10:15; Jeremiah 25: 24. 



CHAPTER VI. 

When the Apostle Paul speaks of having visited 
Arabia, he means the northern part adjacent to the 
country of Damascus, but when he says that Sinai is in 
Arabia, he uses the name in extended significance. 
Galatians 1:15-17; 4: 22-25 : " Tell me, ye that desire 
to be under the law, do ye not hear the law 7 ? For it is 
written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bond- 
maid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of 
the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but he of the 
freewoman was by promise, which things are an alle- 
gory, for these are the two covenants, the one from the 
Mount Sinai wmicli gendereth to bondage, which is Agar, 
for this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth 
to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with 
her children. But Jerusalem, which is above, is free, 
which is the mother of us all" (the now called Negroes 
also). Arabia has long been divided into Arabia 
Petrsea, Arabia Deserta and Arabia Felix- -that is Stony, 
Desert and Happy Arabia. This country extends as far 



THE KEA T EALED WORD OF GOD. 



87 



east as the Euphrates, which divides it from El Jesira, 
or Mesopotamia, and Arabian Irak, Babylonia. It is 
said to be a sandy desert of great extent, with scarcely 
vegetation enough to support the camels by which 
it is traversed, with a few meagre herbs and with 
scarcely any water, except what is collected from the 
rains of winter. The* air is pure and dry and the 
heavens usually unclouded. These deserts are said to 
be visited by a pestilential blast, by the Arabs termed 
the sam wind, by the Persians samoun, by the Turks 
simoon or samiel. It continues only a- few minutes 
but is suffocating and fatal to those who breathe it. It 
dries up the skins of water and leaves the bodies of 
such as are slain by it in such a condition that the 
limbs fall to pieces upon being touched. The Hebrews 
called this destructive blast the east wind (Genesis 
41:5-23) and the wind out of the Wilderness. Job 1: 
19; Isaiah 21: 1-3; Jeremiah 13: 21-24; Hosea 13: 13-15. 
It is said ever since the days of Abraham these deserts 
have been wandered over by tribes of Arabs, who reside 
in tents and move from place to place with theirherds and 
nocks. They are divided into clans, each of which has 
its sheikh orchief. They are said to be a warlike and un- 
conquered people an dare said to be called Bedouins. Such 
were the descendants of Abraham by Hagar, and Keturah. 
The wealth of these people, like that of the j)atriarchs, con- 
sisted mainly in cattle. Genesis 13:1-6; 24:32-35; Job 
1:10-18; 1 Chronicles 5:10; Isaiah 13:20. These various 
Arab tribes are all descended from Shem Aram, the fifth 
of Shem's sons, and he who gave name to Syria had four 
sons (Genesis 10:23), of whom Uz, or Hul, was the eldest. 
The eldest son of Abram's brother, Nahor, had the same 
name (Genesis 22:21) and both descended from Arphaxad. 
Genesis 11:10. From one of these descendants of Shem, 
the land of Job was said to be called Uz (1:1), and he is 



88 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



himself described as the abounding place in that land. The 
children of Aram, Uz and Hul, and Gether, and Mash. In 
that kind of wealth, which is peculiar to a Bedouin sheikh, 
or chief. Jeremiah speaks of all the kings of Uz, whence 
we infer that it was au extensive district (Jeremiah 25:20), 
while from another passage it would seem that the Edom- 
ites possessed this country. Lamentations 4:21 : u Re- 
joice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in 
the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee; 
thoushalt be drunken and shalt make thyself naked. The 
punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter 
of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity; he 
will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will dis- 
cover thy sins." This country must, however, be distin- 
guished from Edom itself, as they are separately mentioned 
by the same prophet. AVe may therefore take Uz for the 
northern part of the desert of Arabia between the country 
of Damascus and Euphrates; at the same time many have 
maintained that Uz was in Idumea. Jeremiah 25 : 20- 
21. And all the mingled people (the Xegroes as well), 
and the kings of the land of the (now called Xegro) kings 
as well as the other nations of Uz. And the kings of the 
land of the (now called Negro) Philistines' towns, and the 
Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron,and the remnant of Ash- 
dod, Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon, and all 
the kings of Tyrus, and all the (now called Xegro) kings 
of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which are beyond the 
sea; (the now said Xegro) Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and 
all that are in the utmost corners, and all the kings of 
Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell 
in the desert. The (now called Xegro) Hamitic kings 
descendants from Ham, Shem's and Japheth's brother ; 
Ham's people and all kings of Zimri, and all the kings of 
Elam, and all the kings of the Medes. The descendants 
of Abraham and Hagar are called sometimes Hagarites and 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



89 



sometimes Ishmaelites. The former of these are said to 
have been near Gilead (1 Chronicles 5:10), and had war 
with the Reubenites. They are also mentioned in connec- 
tion with the Ishmaelites and Moabites. Psalms 83:4-7. 
" They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being 
a nation, that the name of Israel may be no more in re - 
membrance ; for they have consulted together with one 
consent (just as Shem and Japheth did against Ham, the 
now called Negro race) . They are confederate against thee; 
The tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab, 
and Hagarenes; Gebal and Ammon, and Amalek; the 
(now called Negro) Philistines, with the inhabitants of 
Tyre ; Assur is also with them joined ; they have 
helped the children of Lot." They seem to have been 
rich in cattle. 1 Chronicles 5 : 21. There is a region 
still called by their name, Hadshar, or Hajor, in the dis- 
trict of Bassora, east of Nadsched, and north of Oman, cele- 
brated for its asses and camels. The Ishmaelites are distin- 
guished from the Hagarites. Psalms 83:6. Ishmael had 
twelve sons. Genesis 25:13-17. And these are their de- 
scendants spread over that part of Arabia, which lies be- 
tween Havilah and Haulan, southeast to the (now called 
Negro) ancient Palestine, or Holy Land. Ham's son, 
Canaan, and his descendants inhabited the land, the Holy 
Land, or the land of Canaan, to Shur near Ham or 
Egypt, even in Jacob's time. They traded with the (now 
called Negro) descendants in Egypt (Gen. 37:23-29) and 
are specified to be the descendants of Midian. Gen. 37:28 ; 
39: 3-7. In Gideon's time the Ishmaelites and Midian- 
ites are spoken of as the same people. Judges 20:26. The 
descendants of the two eldest sons of Ishmael, Nebajoth 
and Kedar (Gen. 25:13), are the Nabatheans of the 
Greeks and Romans. Isa. 60:7. The Nabatheans were 
said to be scattered over all the three Arabias. The Kedar- 
ites dwelt like the ancient Bedouins, in the black tents 



90 



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(Solomon's Song 1:1-6) which were collected into little 
villages or encampments. Isa. 42:11. Sing unto the Lord 
a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, 
ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the 
isles and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and 
the cities lift up their voices thereof, the villages that 
Kedar doth inhabit; let the inhabitants of the rocks sing, 
let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them 
give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praises in 
the islands. The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's. Let 
him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for thy love is 
better than wine. Because of the savour of thy good oint- 
ments thy name is as ointments poured forth, therefore do 
the virgins love thee. Draw me, we will run after thee ; the 
king hath brought me into his chambers; we will be glad 
aud rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than 
wine; the upright love thee. I am but comely, O ye 
daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the 
curtains of Solomon. Look not upon me, because I am 
black, because the sun hath looked upon me ; my moth- 
er's children were angry with me, they made me keeper 
of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept. 
They were rich in herds, and were warlike and expert 
archers ; it is not said where they made their settlements. 
Isa. 60:7 ; Jer. 49:28-29 ; Isa. 21:15-17 ; Psalms 120:7. I 
am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war. The 
next son of Ishmael of whose posterity we read, is the 
sixth. 

Dumah. — In Isaiah ( 21:11 ) a prophecy is directed 
against this people. Tradition informs us that they dwelt 
on the borders of the Syrian desert, near Irak, about 
seven days' journey from Damascus. Tema was the 
ninth son of Ishmael. Gen. 25:15. This name is men- 
tioned by Jeremiah (25:23) with (the now called Negro) 
Dedans and Buz, two other Arab tribes. They are spoken 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



91 



of by Isaiah (21:13). The burden upon Arabia. In the 
forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies 
of (the now called Negro) Dedan, or Dedanim ; the in- 
habitants of the land of Tenia brought water to him that 
was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled. 
In the connection with the caravans of c (the now called 
Negro) Dedan, Jetur and Nephish, the tenth and eleventh 
of IshmaePs sons, were the progenitors of those who 
fought against the Keubenites in the time of Saul. It is 
said that they dwelt near the tribe of Gad. 1 Chron. 5: 
18-20. The sons of Abraham and Keturah were Zimram, 
Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. Midian 
alone seems not to have had any distinguished descendants. 
We have already seen that in Jacob's time, they had 
united with the Ishmaelites. Gen. 37:23-36. We may 
add that they were also nearly allied with the Moabites. 
Midian is joined with Ephah by Isaia.i (60:5-7; Gen. 36:35; 
Num. 22:2-8; 25:1-7). Their country extended along the 
east of the (now called Negro) Holy Land, or Palestine, 
Ham's descendant (the Negro) Canaanite's land, a land 
which was said to flow with milk and honey, the Promise 
Land in the desert near Arabia. Then thou shalt see and 
flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged, 
because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto 
thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. The 
multitudes of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of 
Midian and Ephah ; all they from Sheba shall come ; they 
shall bring gold and incense ; and they shall shew forth the 
praises of the Lord. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gath- 
ered together unto thee. Shuah was the youngest son of 
Keturah. Gen. 25:2. Bildad the Shuhite was the one 
said to be of his posterity. Jokshan, the second son, was 
the father of Sheba and Dedan. Gen. 25:3. From Sheba 
the Sabeans are said to have descended. Job. 1:15. De- 
dan inhabited a part of Idumea, the land of Esau (Jer. 



92 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



49:8; Ezek. 25:13), another tribe of this name, but of dif- 
ferent extraction. Gen. 10:7. They are said to have 
dwelt in Southern Arabia on the Persian Gulf. Among 
these sons of (the now called Negro) Dedau, which we 
have already shown to the reader, this Dedan's sons 
were the Ashurim, Letushim and Lummim, of whom I 
know nothing. Gen. 25:3. The Ammonites were the de- 
scendants of Amnion, or Ben Ammi, who was said to be 
the son of Lot, and brother of Moab (Gen. 19:13-38); they 
spread themselves over the couulry east and northeast of 
the Moabites, who were nearer to the Dead sea. 

These countries were before this occupied by various 
tribes of giants, and the Ammouites subdued and were 
supplanted by the Zamzummim. Deuteronomy 2 : 21. 
Their kingdom was at first bounded by the River Jabbok 
on the north, and separated from Moab on the south by the 
Anion. From this land, however, they were subsequently 
driven by the (now called Negro) Amorites, and possessed 
a district more to the east. The country between the rivers 
was taken from the (now called Negro) Amorites by the 
children of Israel. Numbers 21 : 24-26. "And Israel took 
these cities, and Israel dwelt in all these cities of the (now 
called Negro) Amorites in Heshbon, and in all the villages 
thereof. For Heshbon was the city of (the now called Ne- 
gro) Sihou, the king of the Amorites who had fought 
against the former king of Moab and taken all his land out 
of his hand, even unto Arnon. Wherefore they that speak 
in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon, 
the (now called Negro) king of the Amorites, be built and 
prepared. For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame 
from the city of the (now called Negro) king of Sihon: 
it hath consumed Ar of Moab and the lords of the high 
places of Arnon. Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O 
people of Chemosh : he hath given his sons that escaped, 
and his daughters into captivity unto (the Negro) Sihon, 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



93 



king of the (Negro) Amorites. We have shot at them; Hesh- 
bon is said to have perished even unto Dibon, and we have 
laid them waste, even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto 
Medeba. Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the (now called 
Negro) Amorites (verse 31) and appropriated to the tribes of 
Gad and Reuben." The Ammonites made war against 
Israel (Judges 11:13) in the days of Jephthah for the re- 
covery of this territory. Still later they besieged Jabeth- 
Gilead, which was delivered by Saul. 1 Samuel 11:1. 
With David they were on terms of friendship (2 Samuel 
10: 2) until their insolence led to their overthrow. 11:1. 

In almost every age of the Hebrew commonwealth there 
was enmity between the Ammonites and the people of Is- 
rael. Against many of these nations prophecies are di- 
rected. 2 Chronicles 27: 5; Amos 1: 13; Zephaniah 2 : 8;. 
Jeremiah 49 : 1-6; Ezekiel 21 :28; Nehemiah 4:3; Deuter- 
onomy 3: 11; Joshua 13:25; 2 Samuel 12 : 27.. 

Rabbath was the chief city of the Ammonites, which is 
also called the Great. It was taken by David, and was 
said to be called by Joab the city of waters, from the river . 
which passed through it. Jeremiah predicted its ruin (49 : 
1, 2.) Amos tells us that the Lord said he would cut off 
the inhabitants from (the now called Negro) Ashdod, and 
him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will 
turn mine hand against Ekron and the remnant of the 
(Negro) Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord God. Thus 
saith the Lord, for three transgressions of the children 
of Ammon, and for four I will not turn away their punish- 
ment thereof, because they have ripped up the women with 
child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their borders.' 7 
Notice, by Josephus, the great Jewish historian, it is called 
Babatha; but was also known under the name of Philadel- 
phia. It was said to be a great city, even at the time of 
Christ, as said to appear from the ruins which remain. It 
is now called Amman, and lies upon the stream Moiet- 



94 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Amman, about twenty miles southeast of Szalts. Aroer, 
which must be distinguished from that upon the Anion, lay 
in the midst of the river of Gad (2 Sam. 24:5), that is 
Jabbok, now Wadi Serka, which was the dividing stream 
between Gad and Ammon. 

Abel-Keramim. — The reader will find this name trans- 
lated the plain of the vineyards. Judges 11:33. In the 
second century a place called Abel was still known about 
six miles from Rabbah Minnith, a place said to be noted 
for wheat. All this land was about one hundred and 
thirty miles from Heshbon, on the road to Rabbah. 2 
Chron. 27:5; Ezekiel 27:17. 

Stony Arabia.— -This country well deserved to be so 
called on account of its numerous rocks, yet the name was 
in fact derived from its ancient capital, Petra, a rock. A 
part of Arabia PetraBa, lying upon the Elanitic Gulf, was 
called Nabathea, from a tribe already mentioned, who ex- 
tended themselves also in the desert of Happy Arabia. 
Arabia Petrsea is said to be encircled by Arabia Deserta. 
Arabia Felix, the (now called Negro) Palestine country, 
anciently Ham or Egypt, and the Arabian Gulf, is in 
the northwestern division. It will be useful for us to ex- 
amine the countries so that we may see the (now called) 
Negro all along the line included within these limits 
more minutely. The northern part of Arabia Petrsea was 
in very early times possessed by the descendants of Moab, 
the brother of Ammon. Gen. 19:37. This tribe spread itself 
along the eastern side of the Dead Sea, after expelling the 
Emims, a race of giants (Deut. 2:8-10), and on the Jab- 
bok for their northern boundary. From this region, how- 
ever, they were driven by the (now called Negro) Amor- 
ites, so that the Arnon became their northern limits. Num. 
21:12-36; Judges 11:18. The Israelites passed through 
their land regardless of the hatred of Balak (Num. 22:24) 
and without dispossessing the Moabites, who were exceed- 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



95 



ingly alarmed at this unexpected host. Num. 22:3 ; Deut. 
1:5 ; 2:18-30; 29:1. "But (the now called Negro) King 
Sihou, of Heshbon, would not let them pass by him, for the 
Lord thy God hardened his spirit, aud made his heart ob- 
stinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appear- 
eth this day. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have 
begun to give thee (the Negro) Sihon and his land, before 
thee ; begin to possess, that thou mayest inherit this land. 
Then (the now called Negro) Sihon came out against us, 
he and all the (now called Negro) people, to fight at Jahaz." 
Continued to the 37th verse of the second chapter of 
Deuteronomy. 

After the death of Joshua the Hebrews were for a 
time subject to the king of Moab. Judges 3:12-30. Saul 
and David were both engaged in wars against this people. 
1 Sam. 14:47; 2 Sam. 8:2; 1 Chron. 19:2. The country 
of the Moabites was fertile and agreeable. In times of 
famine it was the resort of sufferers from (the so-called 
Negro) Palestine, as in the case of Ruth. In wine and 
the grains it was abundant (Isaiah 16:7-11), and its 
meadows were covered with innumerable flocks. 2 Kings 
3:4. The northern part of the land, now called Belka, is 
the best pastoral ground in all Syria. The southern part 
of Moab proper is now called Karak, or Kerek, from a city 
of the same name. The Arnon, now Wacli-myeb, is the 
principal river of Moab. The Zarad, or Zered, was a 
stream farther south, flowing from Mount Abarim. Upon 
its banks the Israelites once encamped. Num. 21:12 ; 
Deut, 2:13; Isa. 15:6. The Nimrim was said to be a 
stream in the northern part of Moab, near to BethNimrah. 
Mountains are said to be numerous in this land, but three 
only are named in the Scriptures, viz. : Peor, in the vicin- 
ity of Nebo, and Pisgah. Num. 23:28. Upon this it was 
said that the idol Baal-Peor was thought to have been wor- 
shipped. Num. 25:2-6. Luhith, an elevation near a town 



96 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



of this name, between Areopolis and Zoar. Isaiah 15:5; 
Jer. 48:5. Abarim, upon the southern border of Moab, 
where it joins Edom, or Idumea. The Mount Dhaua is 
said to be a part of Abarim. Num. 21:11 ; 33:43-48. In 
this thirty-third chapter we see the (now called Xegro) 
King Arad, of (the Xegro) Canaanites which dwelt in the 
south, in the (Xegro) land of Canaan, hearing of the com- 
ing of the children of Israel. And they departed from 
Mount Hor and pitched in Zalmouah. The principal cities 
of Moab were Ar and Kir-Moab. Ar was the capital, and 
was also called Kabbah, or the Great. Josh. 13:25 ; Num- 
21:15; Dent. 2:18; Isa. 15:1. "The burden of Moab. 
Because in the night, Ar of Moab is laid waste, and 
brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is 
laid waste and brought to silence." And Rabbath, Moab, 
in the same manner as the chief town of the Ammonites, 
was called Rabbath Ammon. See above. By the Greeks 
it w r as named Areopolis, city of Mars. Its ruins have been 
discovered by modern travelers, and near them copious 
fountains. Num. 21:15. 

Kir of Moab, the bulwark or city of Moab (Isa. 15:31) 
is also called Kir Harseth and Kir Heres (Isa. 16:6-12 : 
Jer. 48:31), and was the principal fortress of the land. It 
was destroyed by Joram, king of Israel, but must have 
been rebuilt before these prophecies were pronounced. 
Kerek or Karak is the modern name, and among its ruins 
dwelt, in 1812, about 400 Turks and 150 Christians. 

The Prophet Jeremiah mentions a number of theMoabitish 
cities aud towns (48 chapter), most of which were taken 
from the tribes of Gad and Reuben. Among these are (the 
now called Xegro) Heshbou (town of Xegroes), Madmen, 
which is nowhere else named ; Horonaim is said to be 
upon Mount Luhith. See above. Beth-diblathaim (Isaiah 
15:5) is the Diblathaim of Moses. These places, so far 
as anything is known of them, are described under the 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



97 



towns of Israel. Numbers 33:46. And upon the southern 
borders of Moab lay the countries of Edom and are called 
Idumea by the Greeks and Romans. Edom was one of 
the names of Esau (Genesis 25:30), whose descend- 
ants peopled this region. It is now called Sherath, and 
extends from the southeast end of the Dead Sea towards 
Elanitic Gulf, which is the branch of the Red Sea. It 
was inhabited prior to this by this Horim (Deuteronomy 
2:11-22), or dwellers in caves, who still continue to the 
northeast district. 

Teman, a grandson of Esau (Genesis 36:11-20), gave 
name to part of the land. Jeremiah 49:7-20 ; Ezekiel 
25:13; Obadiah 9. Here dwelt Eliphaz, the Temanite. 
Job 2:11. The Edomites were said to be perpetual enemies 
of Israel (1 Samuel 14:47; 2 Samuel 8:14; Psalm 60:7-10; 
1 Chronicles 18:11-13; 1 Kings 11:14-17), but 
were generally kept under subjection. Yet in later 
times we find them extending northeast as far as Hauran, 
and south as far as (the now called Negro) Dedan, in 
Arabia (Jeremiah 49:8-21; Isaiah 34:6; 63:1; Ezekiel 
25:13. We see the Scriptures mentioned only a few cities 
of Edom. Of those named (Gen. 36:30-39) there is very 
little upon record. Sela, meaning rock, was the most noted 
city of ancient Idumea. It was called Petra by the Greeks. 
Its name was changed to Jocktheel (2 Kings 14:7) 
by Amaziah. We are told that it was a three days' 
journey from Jericho, the village .of Wadi Musa. Its 
ruins are said to be standing, which are in a deep valley, 
out of which rises Mount Hor, the place of Aaron's burial. 
Numbers 20:26-28; 33:36-38. The high rocks and deep 
defiles of these mountains are said to constitute the great 
citadel of the Edomites, and are described as being still 
wonderfully adapted for desperate defense. Obadiah 4 ; 
Jeremiah 49:10-17. The Seir is a mountainous tract 

7 



98 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



stretching from the southern point of the Dead Sea 
to the Gulf of Acaba, or Ezion-Geber. It is said 
to be known at different parts of its course by the 
names of Djibal, Shera, Hesma and El-Djibal. The mean 
height of this range is said to be about 4,000 feet. Kadesh, 
in the desert of Zin, is to be distinguished from a place of 
this name in the desert of Paran. The former was near 
to Selah, but its exact position is not determined. Numb. 
20:1 ; 33:36. Elath and Ezion-Geber were two noted 
seaports upon the Elanitic branch of the Red Sea (Dent. 
2:8), where the ancient town of Akaba is in ruins; We 
place them together because it is now impossible to discover 
the different sites of these ancieut sister towns. Here Sol- 
omon built the ships which traded with Ophir. 1 Kings 9: 
1-28; 10-11. But King Solomon loved many strange 
women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of 
the Moabites, Ammouites, the Edomites and the (now called 
Negro) Zidonian and the (Negro) Hittites. For King Phar- 
aoh of Egypt had gone up and taken the (now called 
Negro) town Gezer and burned it with fire, and slain the 
(now said Negro) Cauaanites that dwelt in the city, and 
given it for a present to his daughter, Solomon's wife. And 
the people that were left of the (Negro) Amorites, the (said 
Negro) Hittites, the (Negro) Jebusites, the (said Negro) 
Hivites, the (Negro) Perizzites, which were not of the 
children of Israel. 

The Amalekites, whose land was west of Edom, and are 
mentioned as early as the days of Abraham (Genesis 14:7), 
and, in the prophecy of Balaam (Numbers 24:20) they 
are said to be the first of the nations; when Che- 
dorlaomer had conquered the Rephaims, and the Horites, 
of Seir, as far as the desert of Paran. Numbers 24 ; Genesis 
14. The (now called negro) Amorites are mingled 
with the nations of Japheth and Shem ; if the reader will 
notice carefully the above chapters mentioned he will find 



THE KEVEALED WOKD OF GOD. 



99 



them there. He returned to Kadesh and smote all the 
countries of the Amalekites. Hence it appears that they 
dwelt between Kadesh, Seir and En-Gedi, adjacent, on the 
northwest, to Philistia, and south to the ancient Hams, or 
Egypt, or the desert of Sinai. They were the first enemies 
to oppose Israel on their journey from Egypt, and, after 
an obstinate continuance of hatred (Judges 3:13 ; 6:3 ; 
Exodus 17:8-13; 1 Samuel 27:7-10; 2 Samuel 8:10-13) 
their few remains were destroyed under Hezekiah. 
1 Chronicles 4:43. 

The Kenites are said to have dwelt near the Amalekites, 
in the southwest part of the Arabia Petraea. 

The Midianites are said to be descendants of the fourth 
son of Abraham by Keturah (Genesis 25:2), who was Mid- 
ian by name. There was a land of Midian in the neigh- 
borhood of the mountains of Sinai and Horeb (Exodus 
3:1-2; 18:4-6), where Jethro resided. These people, 
who were friends of Israel, must not be confounded with 
those who were allies of Moab. Numbers 22:4-5. 
The latter were frequently at war with the Hebrews, and 
were in a signal manner overthrown by Gideon, so that 
they gave little trouble in subsequent periods. Judges 6 : 
1-7 ; 7-8 chapters. See, also, Psalm 83 : 9-13 ; Isaiah 
9 :4 ; 10 :26 ; Habakkuk 3 :7. " I saw the tents of 
Cushah in affliction, and the curtains of the land of Midian 
did tremble/' The ruins of a town called Moilah are still 
said to be in existence, which are said to be the old site 
of the ancient Midian. It was celebrated for its camels 
(Judges 7:12; Isaiah 60:6), and the descendants of 
Ephah, eldest son of Midian, were rich in camels and 
dromedaries. " The multitudes of the camels shall cover 
thee ; the dromedaries of Midian, and Ephah — all they 
from Sheba shall come ; they shall bring gold and incense, 
and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord. All 
the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee." 



100 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



The southern part of Arabia Petrsea is a peninsula, formed 
by two arms of the Red Sea, which stretch into the land, 
the one in a northeast and the other in a southwest 
direction. The eastern is the Elanitic Gulf already 
mentioned. The western was called by the ancients 
Heroopolitan Gulf, and. now called the Sea of Suez. 
It is said that this peninsula is bounded on the north 
by the desert of El-Tyh; that part of the Arabian Gulf 
which washes its southern coast, is called, as above, the 
Red Sea. In ancient times there were so contradictory 
accounts given of the causes which produced this name 
that I shall leave it undetermined as a matter of small 
importance. Upon the north of this peninsula is the 
chain of mountains called El-Tyh, of which Sinai and 
Hor form the southern portion ; it is this region of 
country, broken and mountainous, which is noticed in 
the Scriptures under the name of the wilderness of 
Sinai. Exodus 19:1-2 ; Numbers 1:1-4. North of the 
mountain Zebeir is a frightful waste without vegeta- 
tion or water. With justice this land is called a great 
and terrible wilderness (Jeremiah 2:6; Deuteronomy 
1:19; 8:15); an uninhabited, dark and parched 
land, a place of no seed or figs or vines or the pome- 
granates or water. Numbers 20:1-11. After he 
had slain (the now-called Negro) Sihon, king of the 
Amorites, which dwelt in (the Negro town) Heshbon 
and the King of Basham, which dwelt at Astaroth, in 
Ederi on this side of Jordan, in the land of Moab, 
began Moses to declare this law, saying, The Lord of 
which our God spake unto us, in Horeb, saying: Ye have 
dwelt long enough in this mount, turn you and take 
vour journey and go to the mount of the (now-called 
Negro) Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thee 
and in the plains, the hills, and in the vale, and in the 
south, and by the seaside, to the land of (the Negro) 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



101 



Canaanites and unto Lebanon, unto the great river 
Euphrates. And when we departed from Horeb we 
went through all that great and terrible wilderness, 
which ye saw by the way of the mountain of the 
(Negro) Amorites, as the Lord our God commanded 
us. And we came to Kadesh Barnea. And I said 
unto you, Ye are come unto "the mountain of the (now 
called Negro) Amorites, which the Lord our God doth 
give uuto us. Let the prosecutor notice the first 
chapter of Deuteronomy. Mount Sinai is the most dis- 
tinguished spot in the peninsula of which we have 
spoken. We are not to understand by the name of 
Sinai a single hill or peak, but a prodigious mountain 
pile, which, according to the ancient writers is from 
thirty to forty miles in diameter and is said to com- 
prehend many separate peaks, the highest of which is 
that called Djibet Musa, or the mountain of Moses. On 
the west of this, but of less height, is Mount Catherine, 
and these two peaks form that to which the name 
Sinai particularly belongs ; Horeb and Sinai were 
said to be either the same mountain or different parts 
of the same pile; that which in Exodus, Leviticus and 
Numbers is called Sinai, Deuteronomy called Horeb. 
Exodus 19:20; 24:16; 31:18; 34:2-29; Leviticus 7: 
38; 26:46; 3:1; Deuteronomy 1 :6 ; 4:10-15 ; 5:2; 18: 
16 ; 29 :1 ; Malachi 4:4. It is inferred from the ac- 
count of the latest travellers, that the Horeb from 
which a stream of water miraculously was brought is 
the mountain called Serbal, twenty or thirty miles dis- 
tant from Sinai. Exodus 17. At the same time it is 
granted that when speaking in a general way of these 
mountains, the term Horeb is used, while in particular 
relation of events Horeb and Sinai are made distinct 
the former lying considerably to the west or northwest 
of the latter. There is a celebrated convent upon 



102 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Mount Sinai. So the ancient writers declare that 
there is no subject in all sacred geography which does 
present so many difficulties as the path of the Israelites 
on their pilgrimage from Egypt to the (now called 
Negro) Canaanite Promise Land or Holy Land. 

The children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to 
Succoth. Numbers 33 :5-6. Rameses was a city in 
the land of Goshen, about six or eight miles above 
Cairo. Succoth means a place of booths, and has 
been said to be a mere halting station for caravans or 
travelling companies. This course was a little north- 
ward. 

Etham in the edge of the wilderness. — This is 
said to be about sixty miles to the gulf, although the 
gulf is nearer to their place of setting out, that is at 
the present dav, making the journey about forty miles. 
This is said to be now a wilderness or parched and stony 
desert. Pihahiroth from Etham ; they were com- 
manded to return to a place let in between Migdol and 
the sea opposite Baal Zephon. Exodus 14:9 ; Numbers 
33 :7. This was a narrow pass shut in by the sea on 
the east, mountains on the west and a small bay on 
the south. 

The passage through the Red Sea. Exodus 14 : 
22. And the children of Israel went into the midst 
of the sea upon dry ground, and the waters were a wall 
unto them, on their right hand and on their left. The 
precise place where this astonishing miracle took place or 
was wrought is fixed by some of the ancient historians 
to be about twenty miles below Suez Canal, opposite 
the Valley of Bedia, where the channel was sufficiently 
broad and deep to make the miracle worthy of its 
author and its object. The gulf was said to have been 
three leagues over with water fourteen fathoms deep. 
The north cape of this bay is said to be called Ras- 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



103 



Musa, the cape of Moses. They made three days' 
journey in the desert of Etham, still a sandy and 
gravelly plain called El-Ahta. The March. —The 
bitter well of Marah (Howara) is said to be the 
spot that should be observed that the Israelites were 
now going southward, keeping near to the coast of the 
Red Sea. Exodus 15:23; Numbers 33:9. Elim, 
where were twelve wells and seventy palm trees. This 
is a place in the vale of G-harandel. Here is a copious 
spring with palm or date trees. After coming still 
near the sea, they again receded from it, going into the 
heart of the desert, which brought them to the wilder- 
ness of Sin, at the foot of the mountainous ridge El-Tyh. 

Dophkah and Alush. — Of these places not anything 
have been said to be known. Rephidim, on the edge 
of the wilderness, lumbers 33:1-30. Desert of Sinai. — 
Leaving this they came to the desert of Paran, in which 
extensive waste they had various encampments, as 
at Taberah or Kibroth Hattaavah, the graves of lust. 
Numbers 10 and 11 chs. From this place they stations 
northward are : Hazeroth, 35 verse ; Rithmah, Numb. 
33:18; Rimmon Perez, 19 verse; Libnah, 20 verse; 
Rissah, 19 verse ; Cehelathah, 20 verse ; Shapher, 21 
verse; Haradah, 22 verse; Makheloth, 23 verse; Tahath, 
24 verse; Tarah, 25 verse; Mithcah, 26 verse; Hash- 
monah, 27 verse; Moseroth, 28 verse; Bene-Jaakan 
29 verse; Hor-Hagidgad, 30 verse; Jotbathah, 31 
verse ; Ebronah, 32 verse ; Ezion-Gaber, Numbers 
14:25; 33:1-35. 

In all this course they were retracing their steps, 
having: gone northward from Mount Sinai to Rissah, 
thence southward to Ezion-Gaber. To fix the exact 
situation of any of these places would be of no cert- 
ainty. 

The Desert of Zin.— This is a valley stretching 



104 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



along the whole western side of Mount Seir, which like 
it extends from the Dead Sea on the north to the Red 
Sea on the south. It is said to be about five miles 
across, and is now called El-G-hor. Into this valley the 
people came from the plain of Elat and Ezion- 
Gaber. Numbers 12:16; 20:1-17; 13:1-4. So they 
went up and searched the land from the wilderness 
of Zin unto Rehob, as men cometh to the (now called 
Negro) Hamath town. The Amalekites are said to 
have dwelt in the land of the south for the (now 
said Negro) Hittites and the (Negro) Jebusites, 
and the (now called Negro) Amorites dwell in the 
mountain, and the (Negro) Canaanites dwell by the sea 
and by the coast of Jordan. 

I refer the peruser to the above chapter, Numbers 
13. Leaving Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, 
they came to Mount Hor in the edge of Edom, a moun- 
tain on the east side of the desert of Zin, and standing 
on the western edge of Seir. Here Aaron was buried. 
Numbers 20:20-28; 33:37. Zalmonah, Punon, Oboth, 
Ije-abarim, Zared. 35, 36, 37, 38, 39th verses. From 
Zared they marched to Dibongad. 40, 41, 42, 43, 
44, 45th verses. Beer, Almon-diblathaim, Mattanah, 
Nahaliel, Barnoth, Pisgah, which is said to be the last 
part of Mount Abarim, at which they crossed. In the 
southern part of Arabia, or the peninsula, between the 
Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, was called by the ancients 
the Arabia Happy, because of its superior fertility, its 
fragrant spices, or from the mere national partiality of 
its inhabitants. Its name is said to be Yemen. The 
face of the country and its qualities vary in different 
parts upon the -coast. The land is mostly flat, sandy, 
unproductive and exposed to drought and excessive 
heat. The interior of the country is said to be hilly and 
barren, it is true, in some districts, while in many others 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



105 



are said to be found fertile heights and good water, 
healthful air, delightful landscapes, and an abundance 
of the fruits of the earth are produced here. The sugar- 
cane, rice, wheat, barley, lemons, oranges, citrons, pome- 
granates, figs, and sweet grapes, frankincense, myrrh, 
and cassia, were said to have been brought from Ara- 
bia Felix. In the earliest times coffee was abundant, 
but was used as a refreshing beverage at that place, it 
has been said, fifteen centuries ago. The southern part of 
Arabia was known among the Israelites by the name of 
Ethiopia, after (the Negro) Cush, a term which had the 
same extent of meaning as India has among the modern. 
We are so accustomed to think of Ethiopia as a country 
of (the now called Negro) Africa. So I see in reading 
the Scriptures that Moses, the man of God, married an 
Ethiopian woman. Numbers 12:1-2. I cannot say 
positively that she was a native of Africa. But all the 
ancient writers agree that she was a South Arabian. 
When Habakkuk speaks of the affliction of the (now 
called Negro) Cushan, and Midian, we are to under- 
stand it of the same people in one place. 3:7; 2 Chron- 
icles 21:16. Moreover, the Lord stirred up against Je- 
horam, the spirit of the (now called Negro) Philistines, 
and of the Arabians that were near Ethiopia. The' 
Arabians who dwelt near the Ethiopians are mentioned, 
from which we infer that the southern inhabitants of 
this peninsula were called Ethiopians. Southern 
Arabia was said to have been peopled by the descendants 
both of Shem and Ham, the (now called Negro) 
children of Ham, or (the Negro) Cush. The eldest 
son of Ham (Gen. 10:7) had five sons of the (now 
called Negro) descendants in the United States of 
America — Seba, Havilah,Sabtah,Raamah, and Sabtecha- 
The posterity of these spread themselves over the 
southern part of Arabia and the country upon the op- 



106 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



posite side of the Red Sea. Seba must be sought for in 
Africa, Ethiopia. (The Negro) Havilah gave name to 
Haulan, a part of Arabia Felix. Sabtah is found in the 
name Sabatha or Sabotha, a seaport upon the Red Sea. 
Raamah is mentioned among the places which traded 
with Tyre. Ezek. 27:22. Sheba and (the Negro) Dedan 
were sons of Raamah ; from them descended the people 
mentioned living near the Persian Gulf. Ezek. 38:13. 
Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish, with all 
the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come 
to take a spoil ? hast thou gathered thy company to take 
prey? to carry away silver and gold? to take away cat- 
tle and goods to a great spoil? We see from the sacred 
history that there was a country here called Dedan. 
Sabteeha, the fifth son of Cush, is said to have settled 
in Caramania or Kerman. I need not add, because we 
can scarcely see anything of these tribes. The children 
of Shem, who dwelt in Southern Arabia, are said to 
have descended from Joktan, the second son of Shem's 
grandson Eber. Gen. 10:25-26. Joktan had no less 
than thirteen sons, whose dwelling was from Mesha, as 
thou goest unto Sephar, a mount of the east (verse 30). 

Mesha. — Mesha is taken by the sacred writers to be 
the country which the Greeks called Mesene, near the 
modern Bassora. Sephar means the seacoast, and is said 
to lie near the Red Sea, somewhere about the modern 
Tehamah. It will not be expected that after so many 
years that I can discover the abode of these sons of 
Joktan. I can give some imperfect hints of them, 
maybe derived from similarity of names, and I shall add 
all that seems worthy of reading of them. Sheleph 
(Gen. 10:26); from him came the Salapheni, a nation in 
the interior of Arabia Felix. Hazarmaveth ; hence the 
modern Hadramaut bounded west by Yemen, and south- 
east by the ocean, northeast by Oman, and north by 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



107 



a great desert. TJzal, the sixth son of Joktan (verse 
27), is by the whole of the Arabs said to have founded 
the city of Sanaa in Yemen, which bore his name as 
late as the sixth century. Sanaa is said to be the chief 
town of Yemen, is 240 miles northeast of Mocha, and 
450 miles southeast of Mecca, lat. 17 deg. 28 min. N. 
Sheba, the tenth son of Joktan (verse 28) must be dis- 
tinguished from a son of Raamah already mentioned, 
who bore this name (verse 7) as well as from Sheba, the 
grandson of Abraham. Gen. 25:3. The Sheba of whom 
we speak is said to be the father of the Sabeans. A 
certain queen of Sheba, or Saba, attracted by the celeb- 
rity of Solomon's wisdom and power, was led to visit 
this monarch (1 Kings 10:1-11; 2 Chron. 9:1-2) and 
made him presents of gems, gold and costly spices, ar- 
ticles for which the Sabeans were famous among the 
Greeks. The fabulous accounts of the Arabians pre- 
tended that the name of this queen was Balkis, and the 
place of ruins is now shown in Djof, a province of Ye- 
men, which is called the palace of Balkis. 

There is reason to believe this was the country of 
Sheba. Ophir was the place whence the ships of Solo- 
mon are said to have brought gold and spices and 
precious stones to Elath and Ezion Gaber. The gold 
of Ophir is frequently referred to in the Holy Bible. 
1 Kings 9:28; 10:11; 2 Chron. 8:18 ; 9:10; Job 38:16 ; 
Ps. 45:9; Isa. 13:12; 1 Chron. 29:4; Job 22:24. But 
where was Ophir ? Not less than fifteen or sixteen 
countries have been mentioned by the ancient historians 
and various commentators and critics as the site of 
Ophir. Among these the only three which seem worthy 
of attention are India and Zanguebar on the (now 
called Negro) African coast, and Southern Arabia. The 
reader after investigating this subject may have his own 
decision ; that which seems least encumbered with 



108. 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



difficulties is, that it was in Arabia. It may have been 
as early as in the days of Job (Job 22:24) that commerce 
was carried on with Zanguebar or India. The name 
Ophir is mentioned iu connection with those that are 
said to belong to South Arabia (Gen. 10:29) and espe- 
cially with Sheba. From all the older Greek writers 
we find that gold was found in Arabia, and, indeed, it 
is by no means necessary to suppose that the gold 
which was shipped from Ophir was the production of 
that country alone. 

Now of the other sons of Joktan, I can find nothing: 
definitely deserving notice. The Arabic language is 
derived from that widely extended tongue which was 
used by the descendants of Shem, and is said to closely 
resemble the Hebrew, Chaldaic and Syriac. It has been 
a spoken language for many centuries, and is said to be, 
with a little change, in comparison with the alteration 
of the European dialect. The country is said to be near 
the river Nile; is where Shem and Japheth found Ham, 
and gave birth to this (now called Negro) name in the 
United States of America. From the middle of its 
course to its mouth in the north of Africa it is known by 
the name of Ancient Ham, or Egypt. The word used 
in the Old Testament and which is translated Egypt, is 
Mizraim (Gen. 10:6), after the second son of Ham (the 
now called Negro). The ancient name of the laud is 
Ham. Isa. 19; Ps. 78:49-51; 105:23-27; 106:22; Isa. 
20. He gave up their cattle also to the hail and their 
flocks unto hot thunderbolts. He cast upon them the 
fierceness of his anger, wrath, indignation and trouble 
by sending evil angels among them. He made away to 
his anger ; he spared not their soul from death, but gave 
their life over to the pestilence, and smote all the first- 
born in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the taber- 
nacle of Ham, but made his own people to go forth like 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



109 



sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. 
The burden of Egypt, Behold the Lord rideth upon a 
swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt, and the idols of 
Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of 
Egypt shall melt in the midst of it, and I will set the 
Egyptians against the Egyptians, and they shall fight 
every one against his brother, and every one against his 
neighbor; city against city, and kingdom against 
kingdom, and the spirit of Egypt shall fail in 
the midst thereof, and I will destroy the counsel 
thereof, and they shall seek to the idols and to the 
charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, 
and to the wizards, and the Egyptians will I give 
over into the hand of a cruel Lord, and fierce a king 
shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts. 
And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river 
shall be wasted aud dried up. And they shall turn the 
river far away, and the brooks of defense shall be 
emptied and dried up. The reeds and flags shall 
wither. The paper reeds by brooks, by the mouth of 
the brooks, and everything sown by the brooks shall 
wither and be driven away, and be no more. The fish- 
ers, also, shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into 
the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon 
the waters shall languish. Moreover, they that work 
in fine flax, and they that weave network shall be con- 
founded, and they shall be broken in the purpose there- 
of, all that make sluices and ponds for fish. Surely the 
princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise coun- 
sellors of Pharaoh is become brutish. How say ye unto 
Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of the ancient 
kings? Where are they, where are the wise men and 
let them tell thee now, and let them know what the 
Lord of hosts hast purposed upon Egypt. The princes 
of Zoan are become fools. The princes of Koph are 



110 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



deceived. They have also seduced Egypt, even they 
that are the stay of the tribes thereof. The Lord hast 
mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof, and they 
have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a 
drunken man staggereth in his vomit. Neither shall 
there be any work for Egypt which the head or tail 
branch or rush may do. In that day shall Egypt be 
like unto women, and it shall be afraid because of and 
fear of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts, 
which he shaketh over it. And the land of Judah shall 
be a terror unto Egypt, and every one that maketh men- 
tion thereof shall be afraid in himself because of the 
counsel of the Lord of hosts which he hath determined 
against it. In that day shall five cities speak the lan- 
guage in the land of Egypt of (the now called Negro) 
Canaan, and swear to the Lord of hosts. One shall be 
called The City of Destruction. In that day shall there 
be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, 
and a pillar at the border thereof to the Lord. And it 
shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of 
hosts in the land of Egypt, for they shall cry unto the 
Lord because of the oppressors, and he shall send them 
a savior and a great one, and he shall deliver them, and 
the Lord shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians 
shall know the Lord in that day, and shall do sacrifice 
and oblation, yea, they shall vow a vow unto the Lord 
and perform it. And the Lord shall smite Egypt. He 
shall smite and heal it, and they shall return even unto 
the Lord, and he shall be entreated of them and shall 
heal them. In that day shall there be a highway out of 
Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians shall come into 
Egypt and the Egyptians into Assyria, aud the Egyp- 
tians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall 
Israel be the third of Egypt, and with Assyria, even a 
blessing in the midst of the land whom the Lord of 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Ill 



hosts shall bless saying, Blessed be Egypt, my people, 
and Assyria, the works of my hands, and Israel, mine 
inheritance. In the poetical parts of the Bible this 
land has been sometimes called Pahab. Isaiah 51:9; 
Psalm 87:4 ; Psalm 89: 10. Thou hast broken Rahab 
in pieces as one that is slain. Thou hast scattered thine 
enemies with thy strong arm. The heavens are thine, 
the earth, also, is thine. As for the world and the ful- 
ness thereof, thou hast founded them. The north and 
the south thou hast created them. Tabor and Hermon 
shall rejoice in thy name. Thou hast a mighty arm. 
Strong is thy hand and high is thy right hand. The 
modern Arabic name Miser, is evidently an abbreviation 
of the Hebrew Mizraim. The extent and boundaries 
of Egypt may be viewed as the great valley of the Nile, 
h r ing nearly north and south and hemmed on the east 
and west by chains of mountains, which are said to be 
near the river and sometimes distant. This valley, 
however, does not reach as far as the Mediterranean, 
but ends where the river is divided into several 
branches, which embraces the Delta, the most fertile 
part of Lower Egypt. These branches are said to shoot 
out northeast and southeast, and northwest, and the 
country included forms a triangle, whence it was called 
the Delta from the Greek letter which has that shape. 
The northern and southern limits of Egypt or Ham 
are given by the Prophet Ezekiel (29:10; 30:6) from 
the tower of Syene even to the border of (the now 
called Negro) Cush, or, as it may be read, from MigdoPs 
tower to Syene, meaning in either case the whole 
length of the country. Syene is said to be in latitude 
twenty-four degrees, no minutes and forty-five seconds, 
and Alexandria thirty-one degrees, eleven minutes and 
thirty-three seconds, making the length 500 miles on 
account of the winding of the Nile. The valley is 600 



112 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



miles long to the east of the Delta, on the borders of 
the (now called .Negro) Holy Land or Palestine, and the 
Arabia Petrsea is in the desert of Shu r. Genesis 16: 7; 
20:1; 25:18; Exodus 15:22. The country about the 
cataracts of the Nile, Syene on the south of Egypt, has a 
picturesque appearance, but Lower Egypt, especially the 
Delta, is flat and uninteresting. The skies present al- 
ways the same cloudless and unvarying appearance. 



CHAPTER VII. 

The Nile is said to be the only river in Egypt, and 
was called by way of pre-emiuence, the River. Genesis 
41: 1. It is sometimes called Sihor or Shihor. Isaiah 
23:3; 1 Chronicles 13: 5. The true source of the Nile 
has been made the subject of so much dispute that it 
will be enough to say that its principal tributary is the 
Abias or White River, which rises near the equator in 
the Mountain of the Moon, and falls into the Nile 
about the sixteenth degree of north latitude, according 
to the ancient historians, and the real springs of the 
Nile are in Sacalo, a province of Abyssinia. This great 
river is said to flow 1,200 miles witho.ut the addition of 
a single stream. The Egyptians might justly prize such 
a river, for upon it their very existence was made to 
depend, for in this land where rain is said to be almost 
unknown, the overflowing of the Nile is absolutely 
necessary to all vegetation. Its water, after being fil- 
tered, is acknowledged by all travellers, both ancient 
modern, to be peculiarly sweet and even delicious. 
Jeremiah 2:18 : " And now, what hast thou to do in 
the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor, or 
what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink 
the waters of the River." We can, from these circum- 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



113 



stances, form some idea of the nature of that afflicted 
judgment by which the waters were turned into blood. 
Exodus 7:17. It is said that in the beginning of June 
the Nile begins to rise in its southern parts and con- 
tinues to become higher without overflowing its banks 
until the end of July, but the land, from the beginning 
of August until the end of September, is under water 
generally. From the middle of August until October 
the valley may be said to resemble a sea. Amos 8: 8; 
9:5 : " Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one 
mourn that dwelleth therein. And it shall rise up 
wholly as a flood, and it shall be cast out and drowned 
as by the flood of Egypt." The rich vegetable re- 
mains which are thus spread out over the surface of the 
ground when the inundation ceases, added to the re- 
freshing moisture which continues to fertilize the soil 
in a manner which no artificial means could imitate. 
By canals, and trenches, and other means the w T hole 
adjacent regions received the benefit of these floods. 
The water was, in certain cases, directed in some un- 
known way by the foot of the husbandman. Deuteron- 
omy 11:10 : " Eor the land whither thou goest in to 
possess it, is not as the laud of Egypt from whence you 
came out, where thou sowest thy seed and wateredst it 
w r ith thy foot as a garden of herbs." 

The history of Egypt abounds with records of dis- 
tress and famine, caused by the failure of this inunda- 
tion, and the prophets denounced this as a punishment 
upon that wicked nation. Isaiah 19:5-6 ; Ezekiel 30: 
12. And the waters shall fail from the sea aud the 
river shall be wasted and dried up, and they shall turn 
the rivers far away aud the brooks of defense shall be 
emptied and dried up, the reeds and flags shall wither. 

The climate and fertility of Ham or Egypt demands 
s 



114 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



some consideration in a country so extended; variety of 
temperature must be expected. In Upper Ham or Egypt 
the heat' is often as great as it is under the equator; in 
Lower Ham or Egypt the climate is said to be more 
temperate throughout the year, the nightly dew is said 
to be so heavy as to resemble gentle rain in summer. 
Many diseases are said to prevail, and of old there were 
some of a dreadful nature peculiar to this land. Deu- 
teronomy 28:27. The Lord will smite thee with the 
botch of Egypt and with the emerods and with the 
scabs and with itch, and whereof thou canst not be 
ihealed ; the Lord shall smite thee with madness and 
blindness and with astonishment of heart. The fertility 
of Ham or Egypt was celebrated among the ancient 
nations, and it has been said that there was no 
country more amply supplied with grain, fruits and 
garden plants. In Lower Ham or Egypt oranges, 
lemons, tigs, dates and almonds are said to be in great 
plenty; flax continues to be cultivated. Exodus 9:31. 
The Egyptian cotton is known in the commercial 
world. Maize or Indian corn, melons of various sorts 
and grapes were also in abundauce at a very early period. 
Ham (the now-called Negro) or Egypt land was di- 
vided either into two or three parts, viz.: Into Upper 
and Lower Egypt; or Upper Egypt (Thebais), Middle 
Egypt (Heptanomis or Heptapolis) and Lower Egypt, 
(including the Delta and the adjoining provinces). 

I shall now show what the ancient historians speak 
of the three divisions, beginning at the north. The 
Desert of Shur. — This barren and sandy tract lay upon 
the southwest of the (Negro) ancient Holy Land or the 
Palestine, between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, 
as far as Pelusium, and is called by the Arabs El- 
Djefar. To this region Hagar attempted to fly. 
Genesis 16:7. And the angel of the Lord found her 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



115 



by a fountain of water in the wilderness. By the foun- 
tain in the way to Shur, and he said Hagar. Etham 
was said to be "the southern part of this desert ; it is 
frequently noticed in the Bible. Genesis 20:1; 25:18; 
1 Samuel 15:7; 27:8; Numbers 33:8. And they de- 
parted from before Pihahiroth and passed through the 
midst of the sea into the wilderness and went three 
days' journey in the wilderness of Etham and pitched 
in Marah. Sin is called the strength of Egypt. 
Ezekiel 30:14-16. And I will pour my fury upon Sin, 
the strength of Egypt, I will cut off the multitude of 
.No. And I will set fire in Ham or Egypt. Sin shall 
have great pain and No shall be rent asunder and Noph 
shall have distresses daily. This place was the Pelu- 
sium of the Greeks and the Farama of the modern. It 
was the bulwark of Egypt upon the east; its ruins were 
discovered by the French when they invaded Ham or 
Egypt under Napoleon. Goshen was said to be the 
district which Joseph alloted to his father and his 
brethren. Genesis 45:10; 46:28-34; 47:1-27; 50:8. 
And thou shall dwell in the land of Goshen and thou 
shall be near unto me, thou and thy children and thy 
.children's children, and thy flocks and thy herds, and 
that thou hast. It was situated nearly as we can learn 
north of Pelusium, southwest of the desert of Shur and 
-on the east of the most easterly branch of the Nile; it 
-was a district of the land of Rameses (Genesis 47:11) 
which was in the northeastern part of Egypt ; al- 
though this was beyond the reach of the Nile yet it 
-was for the purpose of shepherds who wandered with 
dheir flocks to the best of the land. Genesis 47:5-11. 
Raamses and Pithom were the treasure cities, built by the 
Israelites during their slavery. Of these there is said to 
be no remains and no credible history of the ruins. 
Exodus 1:11. Phibeseth is named by the Prophet 



116 



THE EEVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Ezekiel among the cities which should be destroyed 
by Babylon ; it is the same with the Bubastis of th© 
Greeks, one of the most celebrated of the (now called 
Negro) African race cities. The French travellers 
have described its ruins as vast and splendid. Ezek.30:17. 

On. — This name signified, in the language of 
Ham'or Egypt, light- and the sun, and it was called by 
the Greeks Heliopolis (City of the Sun), and by the 
Hebrews Beth Shemesh, a word of the same meaning. 
It was east of the Nile, about five miles from the 
modern Cairo. Jeremiah 43:13. He shall break also 
the images of Beth Shemesh, that is in the land of Egypt 
and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn 
with fire. The father-in-law of Joseph was a priest of 
On. Genesis 41 :45. And Pharaoh called Joseph's 
name Zaphuaph-Paaneah, and he gave him to wife 
Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, andi 
Joseph went out over all the land of Ham or Egypt, 
that is said doubtless a priest of the sun. The city is 
now destroyed, according to the above prophecy cited, 
yet some of its obelisks and columns are said to be had 
at Borne. 

Tahaphanes or Tehaphnehes (Jeremiah 2:16;. 
43:6-9; 44:1; 46:14; Ezekiel 30:18) called the Taha- 
panes, is the city which the Greeks knew by the name of 
Daphne; its situation is near Sin or Pelusium. To this 
place the Jews are said to have resorted after the destruc- 
tion of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, taking with them the 
Prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah 43:6-9; 44:1. Here the 
King of Egypt or Hamites had a palace, and the place 
seems to be distinguished. Zoan is said to be one of the 
oldest cities in the world. Numbers 13:21. The (now 
called Negro) Towns. — So they went up and searched the 
land from the wilderness of Zin unto Kehob as men 
cometh to (the now said Negro) Hamath and they ascended. 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



117 



by the south and came unto Hebron, where Ahinian, 
Sheshai and Talmai, the children of Anak, were; now 
Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Ham or 
Egypt. If you will read the thirteenth chapter and the four- 
teenth you can see the (now said Negro) towns of the 
(Negro) Canaanites, the (Negro) Amorites, the (Negro) 
Hittites, the (Negro) Jebusites having been built only seven 
years later than Hebron ; and the name in Greek is said 
to be Tanis, and it stood upon the eastern side of the 
Tenatic arm of the Nile. It was long the residence of 
a line of kings. Isaiah 19:10-13. Surely the princes of 
Zoan are fools. The counsel of the wise counsellors of 
Pharaoh is become brutish. How say ye unto Pharaoh, I 
am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings ? Where 
are they ? where are thy wise men, and let them tell thee 
now, and let them know what the Lord of hosts hath pur- 
posed upon Ham or Egypt. The princes of Zoan are be- 
comes fools. The princes of Noph are deceived. They 
have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the 
tribes thereof. Yes, indeed. It seems to have been the 
place where Moses wrought miracles in the presence of 
Pharaoh. The ruins of Zoan are called San by the Arabs. 
Many columns and obelisks covered with hieroglyphics 
of the age when writing began are still visible. Psalms 
78-11:43 ; Isaiah 30:4. For this princes were at Zoan and 
his ambassadors came to Hanes. The western arm of 
the Nile was called Lybia and separated the country 
of the same name from Ham or Egypt. Of its numerous 
cities, the ruins of which are said to be seen, the one 
that is mentioned in the Bible is Alexandria. This place 
has been famous, but is now merely named in passing by 
the Evangelist Luke. Among the opposers of the Martyr 
Stephen, some of them were Alexandrians. Acts 6:9. 
Apollos was a Jew of Alexandria, and it was in a ship of 
Alexandria (18:24; 27:6) that the Apostle Paul sailed from 



118 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Asia Minor to Italy. This city was said to be founded by 
Alexander the Great about 333 years before the birth of 
Christ, upon a small strip of land, between the Sea of Ma- 
reotis and the Mediterranean. It was long the regal capi- 
tal of the Ptolemies, and was celebrated as well for its 
learning as its commerce. Further details would serve no 
useful purposes in the interpretation of the Scriptures. It 
is said to be 125 miles northwest of Cairo, and was said to 
have about 14,000 or 15,000 inhabitants. " And when we 
had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus because 
the winds were contrary ; and when we had sailed over the 
Sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of 
Lycia, and there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria- 
sailing into Italy, and he put us there in Memphis/' also 
called Noph. Ezekiel 30:13-16. It stood about fifteen 
miles above the site of old Cairo, upon the Nile (or the 
now called Negro) River. It was built in the early ages of 
the land of Ham or Egypt, and was the metropolis of 
Middle Egypt. According to the ancient historians, it 
was said to be 150 furlongs in circumference, yet it fell 
beneath the judgment of the Almighty, and is now a pile 
of ruins. Latitude 30 deg. 18 min. N. Isa, 19:13; Jer. 
2:16. "The young lions roared upon him and yelled, aud 
they made his land waste, his cities are burned without in- 
habitant ; also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have 
broken the crown of thy head." Hanes.— The Prophet Isaiah 
laments in a certain place (30:40) that Jewish ambassadors 
had gone to Hanes, from which we infer that this was one 
of the seats of government in those days. It is said to be 
the great Herakhopolis of the Greeks. This city was said 
to be south of Memphis, upon an island in the Nile. A 
few of its remains exist at the present for the passer-by to 
behold. The southern division of Egypt was called by 
the Hebrews Pathros, by the Greeks and Romans Thebais, 
and by the Arabs Ard. In the genealogy of the nations 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



119 



(Genesis 10:14) the (now called Negro) Pathrusim are 
stated to be the descendants of Mizraim (the now called 
Negro). Isaiah and Jeremiah distinguish that from Egypt 
Proper. Isaiah 11:11. So did also the Greeks and Ro- 
mans. Judgments were pronounced against it by the 
Prophet Ezekiel (30:14). In the Scriptures two places 
of Upper Egypt are mentioned, viz.: No or Amnion. No 
is said to be the celebrated city of Thebes. The Egyptians 
considered this as the oldest city upon earth. It was orig- 
inally built upon the eastern bank of the Nile, but in later 
times it extended itself upon the western. To this the 
Prophet Nahutn makes a striking allusion (3:8). It was 
likewise said to be girt with many canals. Thebes was 
the capital of. Upper Egypt, and was styled " The City of 
a Hundred Gates.' 7 For a minute account of its ruins, see 
the ancient writer's document : " And it shall come to- 
pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the 
second time to recover the remnant of his people which 
shall be left from Assyria and from Ham or Egypt, and 
from Pathros and (the now called Negro) Cush, and from 
Elam, and from Shinar, and from (the Negro) Hamath, 
and from the isles of the sea." But Syene has already been 
mentioned as the southern boundary of Egypt. Ezekiel 
29:10; 30:6. It was said to have been built upon a pen- 
insula of the Nile, about the spot where the ancient Aswan 
stood. The history of Egypt is so intimately connected 
with that of the Hebrews, that a few words upon this sub- 
ject will not be misplaced. After being founded, as has 
been already stated, by (the now called Negro) Mizraim, 
Ham or Egypt was said to be governed by its own princes 
for about one hundred years, when it was said to have been 
conquered by the shepherds or Cushites from Arabia or 
Chaldea, and who, after remaining in power for about two 
hundred and sixty years, were driven out by Amosis. The 
name Pharaoh, which occurs in the history of Abraham, is, 



120 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



said to be one of those shepherd kings. Joseph was brought 
as a slave into Egypt only a few years after the expulsion 
of this race. The kings of Egypt were said to be known 
by the name of Pharoah, all of them. But I am not able 
to give the additional name of the monarch who was 
destroyed in the Red Sea. His successor is thought 
to have been the famous Sesostris. Solomon married 
one of the daughters of one of these Pharaohs, and 
during the reign of Rehoboarn, Palestine was in- 
vaded by Shishak, king of Egypt (the now called 
Negro), who took Jerusalem and despoiled the temple. 
2 Chronicles 12. In the time of Hezekiah, Sebachon or 
So, the (Negro) king of Ethiopia, extended his dominion 
over Ham or Egypt, and afterward became an ally of 
Hoshea, king of Israel. ,2 Kings 17:14. Sennacherib in- 
vaded Egypt during the reign of Sevechns, the son of So. 
Psammeticus is said to be the next king, after an interreg- 
num of a few years, he was succeeded by Nechus,or Pha- 
rao-Necho, who invaded Assyria, took captive to Egypt 
Jehoahaz, king of Judah, and laid a tribute upon the 
Jews. 2 Kings 23; 2 Chron. 25. Not many years after, 
the Jews, with Nebuchadnezzar, subdued Egypt. "And 
the king of Egypt came not any more out of his own 
laud." 2 Kings 24: 7 : "And the king of Egypt came 
not again out of his own land, for the king of Babylon 
liad taken from the River Egypt unto the River Eu- 
phrates, all that pertain to the king of Egypt." About 
536 years before Christ, Cyrus having taken Babylon, 
conducted his army into Egypt, but the total overthrow 
of its power and independence was said to be accom- 
plished by his son Cambyses, 525 years before Christ, 
according to the numerous prophecies against this 
wicked kingdom. Jeremiah 44: 30; 46: 25-26; Ezekiel 
29,30:13-15; Isaiah 19. Egypt was now a Persian 
province, but was with great difficulty kept in subjec- 



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121 



tion. Alexander the Great is said to have become the 
ruler of Egypt in the year 332 before Christ, but being 
received rather as a deliverer than a conqueror. After 
Alexander's death, the kings of Egpyt were the cele- 
brated Ptolemies, who reigned in succession until about 
thirty years before the nativity of Christ, at which time 
Egypt became a Roman province. The pyramids of 
Ham or Egypt are said to be mentioned by the ancient 
writers of sacred history, and they are said to have 
been erected by the children of Israel. The language 
of ancient Ham or Egypt was said to have been essen- 
tially different from all those that were spoken in Asia, 
as is evident from the remains of it in the Coptic. The 
latter is said to have been a dead language ever since 
the eighth century, and the Copts of modern Egypt 
speak the Arabic. There is said to be some Coptic work 
in existence, and among the rest, the translations of the 
Bible. 

The Ethiopians of Arabia have been already men- 
tioned. I come now to speak of Ethiopia proper, a 
country south of Egypt. Extending farther southward 
to an unknown limit, it is joined by Egypt somewhere 
about the smaller cataracts of the Nile, and was boun- 
ded on the east by the Red Sea and Indian Ocean, and 
on the west by Lybia and to regions unknown. It may 
have embraced what are now called Nubia and Abys- 
sinia. It was a mountainous and well watered country. 
Hence, we read of the rivers of Ethiopia (Zephaniah) • 
" For then will I turn unto the people a pure lan- 
guage that they may all call upon the name of the 
Lord, to serve him with one consent from beyond the 
rivers of Ethiopia. My suppliants, even the daughters 
of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering." Zephaniah 
3:10; Isaiah 18:2. The river Astaboras or Astabora 
was thought by some of the ancient historians to be one 



122 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



of the most beautiful rivers of the earth. The banks of 
the Nile abound with paper reeds or papyrus, of which 
paper was first made. There are the bulrushes still, 
mentioned Isaiah 18:2 : < ; AVoe to the land shadowing 
with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia (the 
now called Negro country), that sendeth ambassadors 
by the sea, even in bulrushes upon the waters, saying, 
'Go ye, swift messengers, to a nation scattered and 
peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning 
hitherto, a nation meted out and trodden down, whose 
land the rivers have spoiled, all ye inhabitants of the 
world and dwellers on the earth." Bulrushes were said to 
be in use for the purpose of making boats or rafts. 

The northern part of Ethiopia, or Nubia, is a sort of 
island formed by the Nile and the rivers Astabus and 
Astaboras. This was called by the Hebrews Seba (Isa. 
43:3): "For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of 
Israel, thy Savior. I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethi- 
opia and Seba for thee." And also, by the Romans, 
Meroe. The eldest son of (the now called Negro; Cush 
(Gen. 10:7) was Seba, which was given this land, a 
rich and commercial country (Ps. 72:10). The inhabit- 
ants are said by Isaiah (45:14) to be men of stature. 
And this agrees exactly with the words of the oldest 
Greek historian. They are said to be the tallest of 
men. 

Chub was the name of a nation noticed by the 
Prophet Ezekiel among the other Negroes, now said 
African tribes. They are generally said to have dwelt 
in Nubia (Ezek. 30:5), Ethiopia, Libya and Lydia: 
"And all the mingled people and Chub, and the men of 
the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the 
sword, and the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great 
pain shall be in Ethiopia when the slain shall fall in 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



12& 



Egypt, and they shall take away her multitudes and 
her foundations shall be broken down." 

2 Chron. 12:3: The Sukkims who accompanied Shi- 
shak in his invasion of Judea were said to be (a Negro 
now called) of Ethiopian tribes from the west coast of 
the Red Sea. The (Negro) Ethiopian queen of 
Candace, whose treasurer was baptized by Philip, was a 
princess of Meroe (Acts 8:27), where women held the 
sovereign power. "And the angel of the Lord said 
unto Philip, Arise and go toward the south, unto the 
way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto the (now" 
called Negro) town Gaza, which is the desert. And he- 
arose and went, and behold a man of Ethiopia, an 
eunuch of great authority, under Candace, queen of 
Ethiopia, who had the charge of all her treasures, and 
had come to Jerusalem to worship." The spies of Nero?- 
says a Roman historian, brought the intelligence that a 
female reigned in Meroe, whose name was Candace, which 
name is said to have been common to their queens for 
many years. The Ethiopic language is a dialect of the 
Arabic. In . the sacred history of Ethiopia in Egypt 
very little can be ascertained about the (now called) 
Negro. It is said that some of the descendants of 
Mizraim, mentioned in the genealogical list of the (said) 
Negro were the origin of those nations who did dwell 
in North Africa, west of Egypt. Gen. 10:13, 14. 

The Lehabim,whom we take to be the same with the 
Lubim (Nah. 3:9; 2 Chron. 12:3; 16:8; Dan. 11:43): 
"But shall have power over the treasure of gold, and 
of the silver, and over all the precious things of 
Egypt or Ham; and the Lybians and the Ethiopians 
shall be at his steps." From the very name we must be 
led at once to think of the Lybians, especially as they 
are constantly named in connection with the Egyptians. 
The "Greeks and Romans called all the coast of Lybia r 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



which lay between Egypt and Carthage, the Ludims or 
Lydians. They are spoken of by Isaiah as good archers 
(Isa. 16:19), and by Jeremiah and Ezekiel as allies of 
Tyre and Egypt (Jer. 46:9; Ez. 27:10; 30:5). They 
must be distinguished from the Lydians of Asia, who 
descended from Shem. These are the (now called 
Negro) nations which we are writing of, and all attempts 
to fix the exact place of their dwelling is fruitless (Gen. 
10:13, 14; 1 Chron. 1:11, 12). The reader will find 
these (now called Negroes) the .same descendants from 
Ham. The Casluhim are said by all the writers to be 
the Colchians, who emigrated from Africa (the now 
called Negro country) to the coast of the Black Sea- 
(The Negro) Put, or Phut, was the third son of (Negro) 
Ham. Gen. 10:6; 1 Chron. 1:8. This is the document 
of the beginnings of the table of all nations. Cush 
and Phut are almost always connected, although called 
Lybians in our translation. The Hebrew names are 
said to be distinct. Their blood is the Negro in 
the United States of America. And they are despised 
by some. O, what shame it is upon Shem and Japheth! 
Jer. 46:9; Eze. 30:5; 38:5; Nah. 3:9. Ethiopia and 
Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite. Put and 
Lubim were helpers. And. I will cast abominable filth 
upon thee and make thee vile, and will set thee as a 
gazing stock, and it shall come to pass that all they 
that look upon thee shall flee from thee and say, Nineveh 
is laid waste, the (now called Negro) town — who will 
bemoan her ? Whence shall I seek comforters for thee? 
Art thou better than populous No that was situated 
among the rivers? That had the waters round about it, 
whose rampart was the sea, and her walls were from 
the sea?' 7 By this name the people were called since 
.known as the Muritanians, or Moors. They were said 
to be hireling soldiers of the Egyptians and Tyrians 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



125 



(Jer. 46:9; Ez. 27:10, 38:5) and said to have proved 
themselves to be genuine warriors in many engage- 
ments with the Romans and the Carthaginians. 

Pul is said to be the island Phelaein the Nile, between 
Egypt and Ethiopia (the now said Negro). Isa. 66:19. 
"And I will set a sign among them, and I will send 
those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, 
Pul and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, 
to the isles afar off, that hath not heard my fame, 
neither hath seen my glory, and they shall de- 
clare my glory among the Gentiles." This is (the 
now called Negro) Cyrene — it is the name of a country 
as well as of its chief city. It was likewise called 
Cyrenaica and Pentapolis, and the capital was said to 
have been 500 miles west of Alexandria. It is said 
that quite a number of Jews resided here. A certain 
Simon of Cyrene was the person who bore our Savior's 
cross to the place of his death. Matt. 27:32;. Mark 
15:21; Luke 23:26. Some of the Cyrenians are men- 
tioned among the earliest Christians. Lucius of Cy- 
rene appears to be a preacher at Antioch. This country 
is now said to belong to Tripoli, in (the now called 
Negro) Africa; the country which the descendants of 
(now inhabited by the Negro) Hamath people. Acts 
11:20, 13:1. Now there were in the church which was 
at Antioch certain prophets and teachers, Barnabas and 
Simeon that is called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and 
Maen, which had been brought up with Herod the 
Tetrarch and Saul. Now they which were scattered 
abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen 
traveled as far as Phenice and Cyprus and Antioch, 
preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. 
And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene,. 
which, when they were come to Antioch, spoke unto- 
the Grecians the preaching of the Lord Jesus. And I 



126 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



read m the Bible of the islands of the sea, and the' isles 
that are in the sea. Isa. 11:11; 24:15; Ez. 26:18. By 
these terms we can understand not islands only, but all 
places which are reached by sea (Ez. 27:3; Esth. 10:1; 
Isa. 20:6) and especially the region west of the Holy 
Land, or (the now called Negro) Palestine, whether they 
were islands or not. These countries they called in a 
general way the West, for thus the word "sea" in the 
verses cited above may be understood, as it is known 
-that the Hebrews were said to have the same word for 
-the sea and the west, on account of their position with 
respect to the Mediterranean. 

We will notice some of the "islands of the sea." See 
^Egean Sea: Samothracia, now Samandrachi, is a small 
island of the archipelago near the coast of Romanair 
and north of the Isle of Imbro. It is seventeen miles 
in circumference. The Apostle Paul passed it on his 
way to Troas from Macedonia. It was said to be chiefly 
inhabited by fishermen. Acts 16:7-12. Lesbos, now 
Mitylene, from its ancient capital of that name, which 
was visited by the Apostle Paul on his way from Ephe- 
sus to Macedonia. Acts 20:14. Some remains of the 
old city are said to be found near Castro, the principal 
-place in population — from 2,000 to 3,000 Greeks, 4,000 
Turks and some Jews. 

Chios, now Scio, is also mentioned in the apostle's 
woyage. Acts 20:15. It is said to be a mountainous 
island, about thirty-two miles long and fifteen miles 
broad, situated northwest of the Samos. The chief pro- 
duction of the island was the said mastich. Scio was, 
-years ago, said to have contained 110,000 inhabitants, 
-but in 1822 the Turks massacred or led into slavery, so 
it is said by the ancient writers, at least 30,000 persons 
to Samos, the native place. Pythagoras is on the coast 
-of Natolia, thirty-two miles long and thirty-two broad. 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



127 



The inhabitants were mostly Greeks, amounting to 
12,000. It was visited by the Apostle Paul. Acts 
20:15. Patmos, now Patimo or Patimosa, is a small 
island between Samos and Naxos, twenty miles in cir- 
cumference. The Romans were said to have used this 
barren spot as a place of exile for convicts, and here the 
Apostle John was sent on account of his testimony of 
truth, and here he wrote the Apocalypse or Revelation. 
1:9. A cavern is said to still be shown to travellers, 
which is said to have been the retreat of the apostle. 

Coos or Cos, now Stanchio, lies twelve miles northeast 
of Stampalio, and forty northwest of Rhodes, is 
twenty-three miles long and ten broad. This was the 
native land of Hippocrates the physician and Apelles 
the painter. The Apostle Paul came to Coos on his 
way from Asia Minor to Jerusalem. Acts 21:1: "And 
it came to pass that after we were gotten from them 
•and had launched, we came with a straight course unto 
Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from 
thence unto Patara, and finding a ship sailing over unto 
the (now called Negro) country in Phoenicia, we went 
aboard and set forth." Rhodes is forty miles Ions: aud 
fifteen broad, and is situated at the southwest point 
of Asia Minor at the entrance of the Gulf of Macri. It 
is said to have derived its name from Rhodanim, or Dod- 
anim (Gen. 10:4), the said descendants of Japheth. The 
Apostle Paul touched at this place (Acts 21:1) on his way 
from Miletus to Jerusalem. The Greek population of 
Rhodes is said to be about 18,000. The Jews' number 
is about 1,000 that inhabited this island. 

Cyprus is a large island of the Mediterranean, about 
200 miles in length and sixty at its greatest breadth. 
This is said by many scholars to be the Chittim or Kittim, 
of'the Bible. Dan. 11:30: "For the ships of Chittim 
shall come against him ; therefore he shall be grieved 



128 



THE REVEALED- WORD OF GOD. 



and return and have indignation against the Holy Cove- 
nant ; so shall he do. lie shall even return and have 
intelligence with them that forsake the Holy Covenant, 
and arms shall stand on his part." It was said to be 
first peopled by the descendants of Javan. Gen. 10:4. 
But I cannot restrict this word to a single island. The 
land of Chittim and the isles of Chittim denote, so said 
in general, the maritime countries and islands of the 
Mediterranean, Greece, Italy, Crete, Cyprus, Corsica. 
Thus Balaam foretold that ships should come from the 
coast of Chittam and should afflict Asshur the Assy- 
rian (Num. 24:24), and afflict Eber the Hebrew, rep- 
resenting the Grecian and Roman invasions. Cyprus 
is said to be a rich and fertile island, long celebrated 
for its wines. In the Acts of the Apostles (4:36) we 
read of a certain Joses, a native of Cyprus, who did 
devote all his property to the cause of Christ and was 
afterwards known Joses, who, by the apostles, was 
surnamed Barnabas, which is, being interpreted, the 
Son of Consolation, a Levite, of the country of Cyprus 
and having land sold it and brought the money and laid it 
at the apostles' feet, and distribution was made unto 
every man according as he needed. The River Tiber,, 
we are told, is 41 deg. 54 min. lat. K., long. 12 deg. 29 
min. E. of Greenwich. 

The Appii Forum and The Three Taverns, were places 
near the city of Rome, through which the Apostle 
Paul passed. Acts 28:15 : " And from thence, when the 
brethren heard of us they came to meet us far as Appii 
Forum and The Three Taverns, whom when Paul 
thanked God and took courage, and when we came to 
Rome the centurion delivered the prisoners to the 
captain of the guard, but Paul was suffered to dwell by 
himself with a soldier that kept him." Where we found 
brethren and were desired to tarry with them seven days* 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



129 



and so we went toward Rome, and after three months we 
departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered 
in the isie, whose sign was Castor and Pollux, and 
landing at Syracuse we tarried there three days, and 
from thence we fetched a compass and came to Rhe- 
gium, and after one day the south wind blew, and we 
came the next day to Puteoli. Acts 28:11-14. 

The Puteoli, now Pozzuolo, was a city of Campania, 
about eight miles from Xaples, in a province now 
called Terradi Lavora. In this city Paul remained a 
-week on his journey as a prisoner of Rome. 13th 
verse. 

Rhegium, or Reggio, was a city and port of Italy, at 
its southwest point in Calabria, just opposite the Mes- 
sina in Sicily. Here the apostle remained one day. 
This town was destroyed by an earthquake. Syracuse, 
the celebrated capital of the island of Sicily, on the 
southeast coast, was said to have been one of the most 
commercial and wealthy cities of antiquity. The apos- 
tle spent two days here. Acts 28:12. 

Melita, or Malta, is an island between Sicily and (the 
now called is~egro) Africa, about sixt} r miles south of 
Sicily and 200 east of Tunis. It is said to be memor- 
able as being the place where Paul suffered shipwreck, 
and has been an important station for missionary pur- 
poses. Acts 28:1-11. Paul was at one time desirous 
to preach the Gospel in Spain, but I am not informed 
that he ever visited that country. Rom. 15:24. I 
-don't think that it can be affirmed with any degree of 
certainty that Spain is mentioned in the Old Testa- 
ment. The Tarshish, or Tharsish, of the Scriptures is 
by many thought to be Tartessus in Spain, in the mod- 
ern province of Andalusia. Tarshish was one of the 
earliest and most important colonies of the Tyrians 

9 



130 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



(Isa. 23:1-10), and is mentioned with other western 
nations in Genesis (10:4). It is evident that Jonah (1:8; 
4:2) intended to visit some port of the Mediterranean, 
and Tartessus was probably the place, wherever it may 
have been situated. It is said to have been a place of 
extensive commerce. Ezekiel 27:22-25; 38:13. Tar- 
shish may have been the name of the country also near 
to Ophir, as the ships of Solomon were built at Eziom 
Geber. 2 Chron. 20:36. 

India is twice mentioned in the Bible, and both times 
in speaking of the extensive realm of Ahasuerus. 
Esther 1:1; 8:9. During the long captivity of the chil- 
dren of Israel they became acquainted with India, and 
in an early age they made use of some of the productions 
of Eastern Asia ; as for example, cinnamon. Ex. 30:23: 
Take thou also unto thee principal spices of pure myrrh, 
live hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon, half so 
much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet 
calumus two hundred and fifty shekels, and of cassia 
five hundred shekels. 

The (now called Negro) Holy Land, or Palestine, was 
inhabited for more than fifteen hundred years b} T the 
posterity of Jacob; is mentioned in the Scripture and in 
history under a variety of names, the oldest of these is 
the land of (the now Negro) Canaan, so called from 
Canaan, the son of Ham, from whom the Negro de- 
scended, and by whom it was peopled after the ilood, 
and whose descendants were dwelling in it when it was 
invaded by the Israelites under Joshua. Gen. 10:19; 
Ex. 6:4; Lev. 25:38; Ps. 105:10:11. This name, how- 
ever, denoted that part of the region lying only between 
the territories of the Israelites; it included the Phoenicia 
on the north, and Philistia on the south, between the 
Mediterranean and the Jordan. Zeph. 2:5; Gen. 13:9; 
Ex. 16:35; Num. 33:51; Josh. 5:10-12. After the con- 



THE EEVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



131 



quest of the country by the descendants of Jacob, who 
was also called Israel (Gen. 32:28), it received the 
name of the Land of Israel. This name comprehended 
of course all their territories on both sides of the Jordan. 
1 Sam.l3:19; 2 Kings 6:23-14-25; Ezekiel 7:2; Matt. 2:22; 
1 Chron. 13:2. And the Lord shall inherit Judah his 
portion in the Holy Land and shall choose Jerusalem 
again. Be silent, O all flesh before the Lord, for he 
is raised up out of his holy habitation. This (now 
called Negro) land is spoken of by the Prophet Zech- 
ariah (2:12) and it is called the Holy Land, as being the 
residence of God's peculiar people, the place where his 
sanctuary was established and his presence visibly 
manifested. This name has now become more applicable 
to the country since the (now called Negro) land gave 
birth to the Savior of mankind. God is our Father, 
man our brother, Christ our Redeemer. Here at this 
place is said to be the scene of his suffering. 

In the epistle to the Hebrews this (Negro) land is 
said to be the Land of Promise (11:9), because it was so 
often promised with an oath to Abraham and his 
posterity. Gen. 12:7; 13:14; 17:8; 24:7; 26:3; Ex. 33:1; 
Num. 14:16-30; 32:11. 

After the return of the children of Israel from cap- 
tivity in Babylon, the tribe of Judah was so decidedly 
prominent among the twelve that the name Land 
of Judah or Judea was by degrees extended to 
the whole territory of the Israelites on both sides of the 
Jordan. For the same reason and about the same time 
the children of Israel began to be called Jews, in Latin 
Judaei. 2 Chron. 9:11 ; 17:2; Hag. 2:14. Then, said 
Haggai, if one that is unclean by a dead body touch 
any of these shall it be unclean ? And the priest an- 
swered and said, It shall be unclean. Then answered 
Haggai and said, So is this people and so is this nation 



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before me, saith the Lord, and so is every work of their 
hands and that which they offer there is unclean. 

Ill Genesis 45th we find these children wander- 
ing in that land — also in the 40:15 it is called the Land 
of the Hebrews, another name for the Israelites derived 
fromEber, an ancestor of Abraham. This name is also 
used by Josephus and other ancient writers. " For 
indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, 
and here also have I done nothing that they should put 
me into the dungeon." 

Palestine was said originally to be nothing more than 
the Greek name of the land of the (now called Negro) 
Philistines, a tract of country situated on the seacoast, 
southwest of the Land of Israel, but by the usage, how- 
ever, has extended it to the whole region, bounded by 
the Jordan and the Mediterranean, Arabia and Mount 
Lebanon. The boundaries are said to be vast in extent. 
The ancient writers tell us that it is difficult to fix the 
precise boundaries of the country inhabited by the Is- 
raelites. The cause is, that its limits are expressed in 
the Scriptures by reference to places; the exact situation 
cannot be ascertained; in general terms, however, it can 
be described as lying between the mountains of Leb- 
anon on the north, the Mediterranean on the west 
and the desert of Arabia on the south. Beyond the 
Jordan it is said to have stretched eastward without 
any well defined limit into the region which lies be- 
tween that river and the Euphrates. The whole length 
of the land is commonly denoted in the Bible by the 
phrase from Dan to Beersheba, which places are said 
to have been in distance from each other about 150 
miles. 

The Holy Land, or (the now Negro land) Pales- 
tine, is agreeably diversified with hill and dale. The 
Scriptures repeatedly make mention of it as a hilly 



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133 



country. Ex. 15:17; Dent. 11:11; 1 Kings 20:23; Ezek- 
iel 34:13. "And I will bring them out from the peo- 
ple and gather them from the countries and will bring 
them to their own land and feed them upon the moun- 
tains of Israel. By the rivers and in all the inhabited 
places of the country I will feed them in a good 
pasture and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their 
folds he, they shall lie in a good fold and in a fat 
pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel." 

Two parallel chains of mountains run from north to 
south, one on each side of the Jordan, originating in 
the mountains of Lebanon, which divided Palestine from 
Syria, and terminating in the mountains of Horeb and 
Sinai, in Arabia Petr?ea ; from these branch off a num- 
ber of minor ridges intersecting the whole country and 
are said to be intercepted here and there by plains and 
spacious valleys. The whole region between Jaffa and 
Rama consists of a succession of gentle elevations and 
delightful fields and valleys. In Judea there are moun- 
tains of moderate height, uneven and irregular in shape. 
About and beyond (the now called Negro) Jericho, the 
hills are bare and barren, the valleys uncultivated, full 
of stones and destitute of verdure. In the north the 
mountains are said to be inferior in height, have a 
more inviting aspect, being covered with vegetation. 
The valleys which they overlook are fruitful and are 
said to be planted thick with orchards. The interior of 
the land is one great valley watered by the only con- 
siderable river in the country, the Jordan, which Hows 
from north to south and empties into a large salt lake, 
in the western part of the hilly country. The plains 
are level. Who is like unto the Lord among the gods, 
who is like thee glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, 
doing wonders? Thou stretchiest out thy right hand, 
the earth swallowed them. Thou in thy mercy hast 



134 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



led forth the people which thou hast redeemed. 
Thou hast guided them into thy strength unto thy 
holy habitation. They shall hear and be afraid, sor- 
row shall take hold on the inhabitants of (the now 
called Negro) Palestina. Then the dukes of Edom 
shall be amazed, the said mighty men of Moab ; tremb- 
ling shall take hold upon them. All the inhabitants 
of (the now said Negro) Canaan shall melt away ; fear 
and dread shall fall upon them, by the greatness of 
thine arm they shall be as still as a stone. 

They forgat God their Savior, which had done great 
things in Egypt, wondrous works in the land of Ham, 
and terrible things by the Red Sea. 

God will remember his covenant which he hath 
made with thee, he will remember it forever, the word 
which he hath commanded to a thousand generations, 
which covenant he made with Abraham and his oath 
unto Isaac, and confirmed the same unto Jacob for a 
law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, saying, 
Unto thee will Igive the land of (the now called Negro) 
Canaan, the lot of your inheritance. Israel also came 
into Egypt, and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. 
And he increased his people greatly and made them 
stronger than their enemies. He turned their hearts to 
hate his people, to deal subtly with his servants. 
He sent Moses his servant, and Aaron whom he had 
chosen. They shewed his signs among them and won- 
ders in the land of (now called Negro) Ham, which the 
world declare is those praises to God, that we are 
Ham's despised black-skinned sons and daughters in 
America. Lift up your head with courage bold and 
let Japheth and Shem know that we can and do act as 
well as they, if not the whole. We are taught that in 
this (Negro) country a little farther south, the Mount 
Ephraim began. This name is given in the Scriptures 



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135 



to a continued tract of high land running through the 
territory of the tribe of Ephraim. Josh. -17:10-15; 
Judges 17:1; 19:16-18. 

The most of these mountains are said to be covered 
with wood and interspersed with fruitful valleys, and 
still farther south stands Mount Ebal and Mount Geri- 
zim, separated by a valley in which the old city of 
.Shechem stood. On the south side of Mount Ebal is 
said to have been green with luxuriant vegetation ; on 
the north it is said to be steep and rugged. These two 
mountains are remarkable for the solemn ceremony per- 
formed upon them by the command of Moses at the 
ratification of the covenant between God and his people. 
Moses also commanded that after the conquest of the 
land an altar should be built and a feast celebrated upon 
Mount Ebal (Deut. 27:12-26; 28:1-58; Josh. 8:30-35), 
and which was performed by Joshua. The Samaritans, 
however, pretended that it was upon Mount Gerizim 
that these rites were performed and accused the Jews of 
falsifying this passage of the Pentateuch. But the 
charge may with greater justice be retorted upon them- 
selves. 

After the building of the second temple at Jerusa- 
lem, the Samaritans built one for themselves upon 
Mount Gerizim (John 4:20), which is still regarded 
as a holy place by the Samaritans at Nablus, who 
look towards it when they pray, as the Jews were 
said to look towards Jerusalem and the Mohammedans 
towards Mecca. The hills which encircle Nablus, the an- 
cient Shechem, the same upon which the sons of Jacob 
fed their flocks (Gen. 37:13-25) and were famous for their 
pasture grounds, one of these are called the Zalmon in 
. Judges (9:48-49) and Salmon in the Psalms (68:14.) 
Mount Ephraim belongs to the hills of Gaash, where 
-Joshua is said to be buried, and perhaps also the brooks 



L36 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



of Gaash. 2 Sam. 23:30; 1 Chron. 11:32; Josh. 24:30; 
Judges 2:9; 2 Chron. 13:4. 

We see that mention is made of Mount Zemaraim, 
which is in Mount Ephraim, and in Joshua we find a 
city of the same name, but said to be situated in the 
southern part of Benjamin; where the continued chain 
of mountains running from north to south enters the 
territory of the tribe of Judali it assumes tlie name 
of the mountain of Judah (Josh. 20:7) and stretches to 
the southern extremity of Palestine. The now called 
Negro once inhabited that country; had structures of 
all kinds and eastward to the valley of Jordan in an- 
cient times it was called the Mountain of the (now 
called Negro) Amorites after (the Negro) Canaanit- 
ish tribe which had possession of it. Deut. 1:19-20. 
The mountains of this chain grow more barren and 
precipitous, so said, as we recede from Mount Ephraim 
towards Jerusalem. And I said unto you, Ye are come 
unto the mountain of the (now called Negro) Amorites 
which the Lord our God cloth give unto us, and when 
we departed from Horeb we went through all that 
great and terrible wilderness which ye saw by the way 
of the mountain of the Amorites (the Negro). 

As the Lord our God commanded us and we came 
to Kadish-barnea, and I said, Behold, the Lord thy God 
hath set the land before thee, the land of the (Negro) 
Canaanites, go up and possess it. As the Lord God of 
thy father hath said unto you, Fear not, neither be dis- 
couraged. 

Not far to the southwest of Jerusalem is Mount 
Perazim, of which Isaiah speaks in allusion to the 
slaughter of the (now said Negro) Philistines by David 
upon Baal-Perazim, where the meaning of the said 
name was given. 2 Sam. 5:17-20; Isa. 28:21. Eor the 
Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim, he shall be- 



THE .REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



137 



wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his 
work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his 
strange act. 

" Now, therefore, be ye not mockers, lest your bands 
be made strong, for I have heard from the Lord God of 
hosts a consumption even determined upon the whole 
earth," (the now called Negro) Ham, Shem and Japheth. 

The Mount of Olives rises on the east of Jerusalem 
Zech. 14:4) in three peaks, the most northerly of 
which is said to be the highest point about the city. 
Though it is said to no longer produce the olive in- 
abundance, it is rich in grapes, citrons, almonds, dates 
and tigs. A little below the middle- peak there is a 
chapel standing in ruins, and on the site a splendid 
church. It was called the Church of the Ascension, 
said to be built by the Empress Helena in the fourth 
century. In this chapel a stone is said to be exhibited 
to pilgrims containing the impress of a human foot 
three fingers deep and said to be left there by the foot 
of Christ at the moment of his ascension. It is said 
that he ascended from Bethany, which village lay at the 
foot of the mountain on the eastern side. Luke 24:49-53. 
And behold I send the promise of my Father upon you;, 
but tarry }-e in the city of Jerusalem until ye be en- 
dued with power from on high, and he led them out as 
far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and 
blessed them, and it came to pass while he blessed them 
he was parted from them and carried up into heaven, 
and they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem 
with great joy, and were continually in the temple- 
praising and blessing Gocl. Amen. 



138 



THE EE VE A LED WORD OF GOD. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

The southern part of this mountain is called by the 
Arabs the Mount of Solomon, because that king here 
worshiped idols. 1 Kings 11:7. The place where his 
altars stood until destroj^ed by Josiah was called the 
Mount of Corruption. 2 Kings 23:13. It was said that 
from this mountain a commanding view was had of the 
surrounding country, for which reason, under the Mo- 
siac law, fires were kindled on its summit to announce 
the beginning of the months. The ridge of mountains 
stretching to the northeast from Jerusalem towards 
Jericho is said to be a mere succession of barren rocks- 
The highest and most remarkable in the range is that 
called Quarantania, or the mountain of the forty days' 
fast, from a tradition that it was the place of Christ's 
temptation. Matt. 4. It is said to be very difficult 
of access, and is destitute not only of trees and grass, 
but even of earth, being composed almost exclusively 
•of naked rocks. South of Jerusalem the mountains are 
for the most part wholly barren. As we draw near 
;to Bethlehem, the ancient historians acknowledge that 
we began to meet with olive yards and vineyards. 
Bethlehem itself is situated on a high and pleasant hill, 
stretching from east to west; farther to the southeast 
the mountains become still more bare and rugged, and 
in the immediate neighborhood of the Salt Sea they are 
high and exceedingly precipitous. The steepest hills 
and deepest valleys are in the south where the Bed- 
ouins, or wandering Arabs, often take refuge from their 
enemies, and feed their flocks and herds, for though the 
mountains on this shore of the Salt Sea are mere naked 
rocks, the valley between them is said to afford the 
richest pasture. In this region is the Carmel men- 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



139 



tionecl in 1 Samuel (15:12; 25:5), which still retains its 
ancient name. The hills lying farther west are still 
called by the Christians of the Holy Land (or the 
once called Negro) mountains of Judah (Josh. 11:21 ; 
20:7; 21:11; 2 Chron. 27:4), and have a far more invit- 
ing aspect than those just mentioned. Some miles to 
the northwest is the tract called the Wilderness of 
Judea, where John was preaching (Matt. 3:1; Mark 
1:4; Luke 3:3), which was one of the most delightful 
spots in Judea, being in fact a highly cultivated garden. 
A grotto here has been shown as the hermitage in- 
habited by the forerunner of Christ. Mount Seir, which 
stretches to the south of the mountains of Judah, is 
perhaps the most desolate and barren chain of moun- 
tains in the world. In early times it was said to be in- 
habited by a race called Horites, that is, dwellers in 
caves (Gen. 14:6), who were afterwards destroyed by the 
posterity of Esau. Deut. 2:12. The Horims also 
dwelt in Seir before that time, but the children of Esau 
succeeded them, when they had destroyed them before, 
and dwelt in their stead, as Israel did unto the land of 
his possessions, which the Lord gave unto them. And 
in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer and the 
kings that were with him and smote the Rephaims in 
Ashtaroth Karnaim and the Zuzims. in ( the now 
called Negro) Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiria- 
thiam and the Horites in their Mount Seir, unto El-pa- 
ran, which is by the wilderness. Gen. 13:12. 
Abraham dwelled in the land of the ( now called 
Negro) Canaanites, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the 
plains, and pitched his tent towards Sodom. 

Bashan and Gilead were the names given by the 
iincient Hebrews to the mountainous districts lying be- 
tween the brooks Jarmuk and Anion, east of Jordan. 
Bashan was said to denote properly the northern 



140 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



half of this region and Gileacl the southern, though the 
name appears to have been sometimes used indifferently 
to denote the whole, and they are often found in con- 
nection. Josh. 17:1-6; 2 Kings 10:33; Mic. 7:14. 

Bashan is said to be full of caves, once the residence 
of men ; some of them are said to he still inhabited ; it 
is also remarkable for the great depth of its valley, 
though it is said to have no lofty mountains. In 
Gilead the ground is higher and rises into hills of con- 
siderable elevation, covered for the most part with 
thick forests. There are frequent allusions in the 
Scriptures to the cattle of Bashan (Dent. 32:14; Ps. 22:12; 
Ezekiel 39:18; Amos 4:1) and of Gilead. Jer. 50:19; 
Songs of Solomon 4:1. I am taught that even until this 
day they are famous in the East for the excellence of 
their pasture grounds. There are also some allusions to 
the pastures and oaks of Bashan (Isa. 2:13; Ezekiel 
27:6), in which tree the country still abounds. And I will 
bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feedon 
Carmel and Bashan and his soul shall be satisfied upon 
Mount Ephraimand Gilead. The ancient writers state it 
to be a fact that Mount Gilead properly so-called stretches 
from east to west at some distance to the south of 
the brook Jabbok. It is said to be on this 
mountain that Jacob andLaban set up a heap of stones 
as a witness of the covenant between them, from which 
circumstance it derives its name of the Gilead, or 
Galeed. Gen. 31:47. On this mountain, too,, the 
army of Gideon was reduced from thirty-two thousand 
to three hundred. Judges 7:3. The peak of the mount 
attains some distance to the south of Mount Gilead; a 
brook said to be between them is the highest point in 
this whole region. It is said to be the ancient Nebo y 
or Pisgah, from which Moses viewed the (now called 
Negro) Promised Land before his death. Deut. 32:49; 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



141 



34:1-4; Num. 27:12; 33:40-53. And (the Negro) King 
Arad, of the Canaanites which dwelt in the sooth in 
the land of Canaan, they heard of the coming of the 
children of Israel and they departed from Mount Hor ; 
and pitched in Zalmonah,and they departed from Zalmo- 
nak and pitched in Punon,and they departed from Punon 
and pitched in Oboth, and they departed from Oboth and 
pitched in Ijeabarim, in the border of Moab, and they de- 
parted from Iim and pitched in Dibongacl, and they re- 
moved from Dibongad and did encamp in Almon-dibla- 
thaim, and they removed from Almon-diblathaim and 
pitched in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo, and they 
did depart from the mountains of Abarim and pitched 
in the plains of Moab, by Jordan, near Jericho, and they 
pitched lyy Jordan ; from Beth Jesmoth even unto 
Abelshittim, in the plains of Moab ; .and the Lord 
spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab, by Jordan, 
near Jericho, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel 
and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan 
into the (now called Negro) land of Canaan, then ye 
shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land 
before you, and destroy all their pictures and de- 
stroy all their molten images and quite pluck 
down all their high places; and ye shall dispossess the 
inhabitants of the land and dwell therein, for I have 
given you the land to possess it. All the above named 
cities and towns were (the now called Negro) inhabit- 
ants gendered from Ham, Shemand Japketk's brother's 
children, the now despised, black-skinned, Hamitic 
people in tke American colonies, tke (Negro) Canaan 
who inhabited that part of the earth. For Palestine, 
like all other mountainous countries which are said to 
have rested on beds of limestone, abounds in caves. 
These, in former times, had been applied to various 
uses, most of which we find examples in the Scrip- 



142 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



tares. Sometimes they have been said to be occupied 
as dwelling places, not only for a time in great 
emergencies, as in the case of Lot (Gen. 19:30), but we 
have in the Scriptures accounts of whole tribes being called 
Horites from their dwelling in caves. Gen. 14:6. It has 
already been mentioned that Mount Bashan contains multi- 
tudes of caves, which had evidently been inhabited in 
former times. 

We read, too, that Elijah and Elisha dwelt in caves upon 
Mount Carmel. The old ancient phrase is that the stable 
in which Christ was born at Bethlehem was a cave, and it 
is said to be a fact that even in the East the caves are said 
to be used. Sometimes they have been resorted to as places 
of concealment from pursuing enemies. Of this repeated 
instances occur in Scripture. Josh. 10:16; Judges 6:2; 
1 Sam. 13:6; 22:1-3; 24:1; 2 Sam. 23:13; Psalm 57. 
David fled before Saul and went into the cave. A spacious 
cave near Eugedi is still said to be pointed out as the one 
where David and his followers took refuge. 1 Sam. 24:1: 
"And it came to pass that when Saul was returned from fol- 
lowing the (now called Xegro) Philistines that it was told 
him saying, Behold David is in the wilderness of Eugedi, 
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel 
and went to seek David and his men upon the rock of the 
wild goats, and came to the sheepcotes by the way where 
was a cave, and Saul went in to cover his feet and David 
and his men remained in the sides of the cave." It is said 
that these caves were sometimes used as burial places. Gen. 
23:8-20. In the neighborhood of Jerusalem there is said 
to be a great number of caves once used as sepulchres, some 
of which are said to be remarkable for their architectural 
ornaments. Among them are said to be the graves of the 
judges of Israel and of the kings of Judah, the sepulchre of 
Jehoshaphat and that of Joseph of Arimathea. 

But the most remarkable plain in Palestine is that 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



143 



through which the" Jordan flows, and from that river is 
called the Plain of Jordan, or the region round about 
Jordan. It is also called by Joshua the plain south of 
Chinnereth, i. e., the Sea of Tiberias. 2 Ohron. 4:17; 
Matt. 3:5; Luke 3:3; Josh. 11:2; 12:3. And to kings that 
were on the north of the mountains and of the plains south 
of Chinnereth, and the valley, and in the borders of Dor 
on the west, and to the (now called Negro) Canaanites on 
the east and on the west. And the (said Negro) Amorites, 
and the (Negro) Hittites, and the (Negro) Perizzites, and 
the Jebusites (the said Negro) in the mountains and the 
(Negro) Hivites under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh, and 
in 2 Kings (25:4) and Ezekiel (47:8) simply the plain. Its 
ancient name is El-Gaur. It extended only from the Sea 
of Tiberias to the Dead Sea. But the word was sometimes 
used to denote the whole extent of the country watered by 
the Jordan from the foot of Lebanon to the wilderness of 
Parau. In some parts a multitude of rivulets flowing from 
the hills which inclose this plain cover the adjacent soil 
with verdure ; but for the most part the plain of Jordan is 
a parched and barren waste, said to be hotter than any other 
region of the country, and exceedingly unwholesome. It 
is said that the Bedouins were the inhabitants during the 
winter of that part of the plain of Jordan which was con- 
tiguous to the (now called Negro) town Jericho in Canaan, 
the Holy Land and the Salt Sea, in the Old Testament the 
plains of Jericho. Josh. 4:13; 5:10; 2 Kings 25:5. The 
soil in that quarter is said to be fruitful and well watered, 
but uncultivated; the only products that were said to be of 
importance were the balsam obtained from the zaccum tree, 
which was considered useful in the cure of wounds. 

The valley of Jiphthah-el was the boundary between the 
possessions of Zebulon and Asher. Josh. 19:13-27. The 
plain or valley of Jezreel in Galilee (Josh. 17:16) stretched 
southward from Nazareth and Mount Tabor. In later 



144 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



times it was called by the Greeks Esdraelon. In 1 Samuel 
. (31:7) it is simply called the valley. The soil is very fruit- 
ful but uncultivated. It was remarkable for several bat- 
tles, one between Gideon and the Midianites (Judges 6:33), 
one between Saul and the (now called Negro) Philistines 
(1 Sam. 29:1-11), and one between Ahab aud the Syrians 
(1 Kings 20:26). Now the (so called Negro) Philistines 
gathered together all their armies to Aphek and the Israel- 
ites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel ; and the 
lords of the (now called Negro) Philistines passed on by 
hundreds and by thousands, but David and his men passed 
on in the rearward with Achish. Then said the princes of 
-the (Negro) Philistiues, What do these Hebrews here? 
And Achish said uuto the (now called Negro) princes of the 
Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the King of 
Israel, which has been with me these days or these years, of 
and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me 
unto this day ; aud the (Negro) princes of the Philistines 
were wroth with him, aud the (Negro) princes of the Philis- 
tines said unto him, Make this fellow return that he may 
go again to his place which thou hast appointed him and 
let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he 
be an adversary to us, for wherewith should he reconcile 
himself unto his master, should it not be with the heads of 
these men ? Is not this David of whom they sang 
one to another in dances saying, Saul slew his thousand 
and David his ten thousand ? Then Achish called David 
and said unto him, Surely as the Lord liveth thou hast been 
upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in 
the host is good in my sight, for I have not found evil in 
thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day; 
nevertheless the lords favor thee not, wherefore now re- 
turn and go in peace that thou displease not the lords of 
the (now said Negro) Philistines. And David said unto 
Achish, But what have I done and what hast thou found 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



145 



in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this 
day that I may not go fight against the enemy of my 
lord the king? Achish answered and said to David, I know 
that thou art good in my sight as an angel of God, not- 
withstanding the princes of the Philistines (Negroes) have 
said he shall not go up with us to the battle, wherefore 
now rise up early in the morning with thy master and 
servants that are come with thee, and as soon as ye be up 
early in the morning and have light depart. So David and 
his men rose up early to depart in the morning to return 
into the land of the (now called Negro) Philistines, and the 
said Philistines (Negroes) went up to Jezreel. 

Sharon, which in the Hebrew signifies a plain, extends 
from Csesarea to Joppa; there are frequent allusions in the 
Scriptures to its fertility and the richness of its pastures. 
Isa. 33:9; 35:2; 65:10; Song of Sol. 2:1; 1 Chron. 5:16; 
27:9. This plain is said to produce melons in such pro- 
fusion that it annually supplies, not Only the adjacent 
regions, but the whole coast of Syria, the Isle of Cyprus and 
the city of Damietta in Egypt. The greater part of it is 
said to be uncultivated and overgrown with grass and flow- 
ers; in the midst of this plain there is a village still called 
Sharon, which was anciently a city. Josh. 12:18. To this 
plain appertains the smaller plain of Ono. Neh. 6:2; 11:35. 

The wilderness of Judea extends along the western shore 
of the Dead Sea. Here is the place where John the Bap- 
tist is said to have really lived and preached ; but it is said 
to be a garden, not the district, which now bears his name. 
We are taught that the solitary shores of the Dead Sea 
were much more suited to his character and mode of life 
than such a spot; and besides we read that he baptized his 
people in the waters round about Jordan and Judea, which 
in this wilderness bear the name of that forerunner of 
Christ, It is said that the bounds of the wilderness of 

10 



146 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Judea, and in fact forming a part of it, is the wilderness of 
Engedi, where David hid himself so long to elude the pur- 
suit of Saul; it is full of precipitous and overhanging hills. 

1 Sam. 24:2. On the southern border of this desert is the 

• 

wilderness of Ziph, to which David fled from Keilah with 
six hundred men (1 Sam. 23:12-15); this also abounds in 
hills and caverns as well as wild beasts. South of Ziph 
lies the wilderness of Maon, where David took refuge when 
the Ziphites had betrayed him; it extends to the mountains 
of Idumea, and is intersected by many deep ravines. 1 
Sam. 23:18-25. 

To the west of the desert just described, at the southern 
extremity of the land of Israel, lies the wilderness of Beer- 
sheba, in which Hagar wandered when she was expelled 
from her master's house. Gen. 21:14. The wilderness of 
Tekoa, in fact, was also a part of the wilderness of Judea, 
which lay to the southeast of Jerusalem; here Jehoshaphat, 
king of Judah, defeated the rebellious Ammonites and 
Moabites. 2 Chron. 20:20. And they rose early in the 
morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa, and 
as they went forth Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, 
Judah and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, believe in the Lord 
your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, 
so shall ye prosper. 

The wilderness of Gibeon mentioned was, no doubt, 
situated in the neighborhood ot the city of Gibeon, north- 
west of Jerusalem. 2 Sam. 2:24. The wilderness of 
Bethaven is mentioned as forming a part of the northern 
boundary ofthe tribe of Benjamin. Josh. 18:12. 

(Now called Negro) Palestine or the Holy Land has been 
described as a not very woody country, there are a few 
forests mentioned in the Bible; when the Israelites first 
entered the (now said Negro) land of Canaan the region 
which fell to the lot of the tribe of Ephraim was woodland, as 
appears from Josh. 1 7:15-18. Then Joshua answered them : 



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147 



If thou be a great people, get thee up to the wood country 
and cut down for thyself there in the land of the (Negro) 
Perizzites and the giants, if Mount Ephraim be too nar- 
row for thee. Yet the children of Manasseh could not 
drive out the (now called Negro) inhabitants of those cities, 
but the (Negro then called) Cauaanites would dwell in 
that land; yet it came to pass when the children of Israel 
were waxen strong, that they put the (now said Negro) 
Canaanites to tribute, but did not utterly drive them out. 
And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, 
Why hast thou given me but oue lot and one portion to 
inherit seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the Lord 
hath blessed me hitherto? And the children of Joseph 
said, The hill is not euough for us, and all the (now called 
Negro) Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley 
have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and 
her towns, and they who are of Jezreel. And Joshua 
spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to 
Manasseh saying, Thou art a great people and hast 
great power; thou shalt not have one lot only, but the 
mountain shall be thine, for it is a wood; and thou shall 
cut it down, and the outgoings of it shall be thine, for thou 
shalt drive out the (now called Negro) Canaanites, though 
they have iron chariots and though they be strong. Then 
Joshua advised the Ephraimites to fell the trees and make 
room for their settlements. It was not entirely cleared, 
for in this same quarter was the woods in which Jonathan 
found wild honey. 1 Sam. 14:20-25. And the battle be- 
tween the armies of David and Absalom was in the woods 
of Ephraim. 2 Sam. 18:6. 

In 1 Sam. 22:5, we read that David fled before Saul and 
came into the forest of Harefh in the land of Judah. I see 
nothing more of the situation of this forest. 

Near the northern boundary of the (now called Negro) 
Holy Land the river Jordan passes through a small marshy 



148 



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lake, called in Joshua (11:5-6) the waters of Merom, or 
high waters, because it was situated higher than the other 
lakes of Palestine; its waters are said to be slimy and con- 
sidered unwholesome, but abound in fish. The banks of 
this lake are said never to be full except in the spring of the 
year when the snow melts upon Antilibanus; at other 
times the greater part of it is dry, and is said to produce 
reeds and shrubs, among which a multitude of serpents 
and wild swine have been known to conceal themselves. 
Only the eastern shores were inhabited. 

Melah, i. e. f salt, because the soil is there covered with a 
saline crust. Farther south the Jordan flows through 
another lake or inland sea, called in some parts of the 
Scriptures, the Sea of Galilee (Matt. 4:18; John 6:1), and 
the Sea of Gennesaret (Mark 6:53; Luke 5:1), from the 
regions which surround it; in others the Sea of Chinnereth 
or Cinnereth (Num. 34:11; Deut. 3:17; Josh. 12:3), and the 
Sea of Tiberias (John 6:1; 21:1), from cities of those 
names which stood upon its shores: the last mentioned 
name is that which it still bears. There is no part of (the 
Negro) Palestine which can compare in richness and 
beauty with the environs of this lake. 

In ancient times its natural advantages were heightened 
by assiduous cultivation. Many populous cities once stood 
upon its shores, such as Tiberias, Tarshish, Tarichasa, Beth- 
saida, Capernaum, Chorazin, Hippo and many others which 
are now in ruins. Joseph us describes this region as a per- 
fect paradise, blessed with a delicious temperature and 
producing the fruits of every climate under heaven, not at 
stated periods merely, but in endless succession throughout 
the year. The neglect of agriculture in later times has, of 
course, made it less productive, but the mildness of the 
climate, and the native richness of the soil are said to be 
still extolled by travellers. The river Jordan maintains 
its course through the middle of the lake, and it is said, 



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149 



without mingling its waters; the water of the lake is of 
considerable depth, and uniformly so, without any shallows; 
it is said to be sweet and pleasant to the taste and, com- 
pared with that of the marshy districts, very clear. It is 
said to abound in fish, which are taken with a small hand- 
net, managed by one man. Luke 5; John 21:1-11. The 
first four disciples chosen by our Savior, the Apostle Peter 
I have already shown you, also Andrew his brother, 
James and John, were fishermen upon the Sea of Galilee, 
and actually were fishing when he called them. Matt. 4: 
18-22. This lake, notwithstanding its small extent, is 
very stormy (Matt. 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25), 
a circumstance owing to the high hills by which it is sur- 
rounded. 



CHAPTER IX. 

About seventy miles to the south of the Sea of Galilee, 
the Jordan is said to terminate its course in one of the most 
extraordinary lakes in the world, called in the Scriptures, 
the Salt Sea. Gen. 14:3; Num. 34:12. And the border 
shall go down to Jordan, and the going out of it shall be at 
the Salt Sea; this shall be your land with the coast thereof 
round about. From the nature of the waters, the sea of the 
plain (Deut. 4:49), and the east sea (Ezek. 47:18; Joel2:20), 
and from its geographical position, by the Greek it is said to 
be called from the great quantities of bituminous matter 
which it produces, it was commonly called the Dead Sea, 
from the fact long believed, and confirmed by recent obser- 
vations, that no animal can live in its waters, and no veg- 
etable on its shores. The Arabs called it the Sea of Lot, 
because Lot once resided in this region (Gen. 13:12). 
Abraham dwelt in the laud of (the now called Negro) 
Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and 
pitched his tent toward Sodom. The space now occupied 



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by the Dead Sea was once a beautiful and well-watered 
plain, called the vale of Siddim, in or near which stood 
the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which God destroyed 
ou account of their wickeduess. Gen. 19:24-25; 13:10. 
The shores of this sea are entirely destitute of verdure. 
The valley of Salt, at the southern extremity, has been 
already mentioned; on the west it is encircled with rocky, 
barren heights ; the water is said to be clear and bright, 
but saturated w T ith salt. The stones on the margin of the 
lake are all covered with a saline crust. It is said that if a 
piece of wood is thrown in it, instantly it will be covered 
with the same. The ancient writers say that no fish in- 
habit the waters of this sea ; those which enter from the 
tributary streams perish instantly. In allusion to these 
extraordinary facts, the Prophet Ezekiel, in predicting the 
future renovation of the face of nature, expresses the great 
change that shall take place by declaring that the wilder- 
ness adjoining the Dead Sea " should become a fruitful 
field." 

The peculiar composition of the water of this lake 
causes substances to float upon its surface which are said 
to sink in any other water. The bottom of this lake is 
said to be composed of black slime, offensive to the smell 
when stirred. The gravel about the edges is black, and 
combustible like coal. Toward the southern end of the 
lake there is said to be a ford, passable in the summer 
months, which, however, is little used, as the water is said 
to be so impregnated with salt that it excoriates the body 
of the passengers. There is, according to the Arabs, who 
resided in the vicinity, no perceptible variation in the 
height of the water at different times. 

The Dead Sea is said to have, apparently, no outlet. 
Some have supposed that it communicates by subterranean 
channels with the Mediterranean, and others that it flows 
into the Red Sea. The opinion of the Arabs w r as that it 



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151 



loses its waters by evaporation, thick clouds being often 
seen hanging over it, which did not extend beyond the 
water's edge. 

This lake is said to produce asphaltos — a bituminous or 
pitchy substance — in great abundance, though not at all 
times. It is found in large cakes, which are said to be 
often more than a foot thick, floating upon the surface. 
In the vicinity of the Dead Sea a tree is said to grow, 
bearing apples of the most inviting aspect, which, however, 
when divided, are found empty or filled with ashes. We 
learn from Jeremiah (48:32) that the vines of Sibmah 
reached even to the Sea of Jazer. Jazer was a city of the 
Ammonites, and is said not to be far from Philadelphia, 
whose ruins are said to be still visible, and some ponds but 
no lakes of any size. " O, vine of Sibuiah, I will weep 
for thee; with the weeping of Jazer, thy plants are gone 
over the sea ; they reach even to the Sea of Jazer. The 
spoils are fallen upon thy summer fruits and upon thy 
vintage; and joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful 
field, and from the land of Moab." 

The most considerable river in the (now called Negro) 
Holy Land, and indeed the only one that deserves the 
name, is the Jordan, which flows through the whole length 
of the country in a straight line from north to south. Its 
true source is said to be in a rocky basin, 120 paces in cir- 
cumference, called by the Greeks, Phiala, or the bowl, and 
supplied by three unfailing springs. This reservoir com- 
municates by a subterranean passage with a grotto north 
of Csesarea Philippi, from which flows the brook Banias. 
This stream, uniting with the Dan and the Hasbega brook, 
which is said to rise near the foot of Mount Hermon, form 
the Jordan. The river flows on in a narrow channel for 
some distance, until it is said to enter a pass through the 
marshy lake, called in the Scripture the waters of Merom, 
a few miles to the south of which there was a stone bridge 



152 



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of four arches, called the Bridge of the Sons of Jacob. At 
this spot it is said that Jacob passed over Jordan on his re- 
turn from Mesopotamia. Geu. 32:10. A few miles be- 
yond this bridge the river falls into the Sea of Galilee, 
through the middle of which it passes undisturbed, and 
flows out at the opposite extremity near the ruins of Tari- 
chea. It then flows about 70 miles southward, through 
the plains of Jordan, and is said to be lost in the waters of 
the Dead Sea. When it first leaves the Sea of Galilee it 
passes through a deep valley, the verdure and fertility of 
which is said to present a striking contrast to the arid 
wastes. Around this delightful spot is said to be shaded 
with thick groves and enlivened by the songs of nightin- 
gales. It is called in Zechariah (11:3) " For there is a voice 
of the howling of the shepherds, for their glory is spoiled ; 
a voice of the roaring of the young lions, for the pride of 
Jordan is spoiled. Thus saith the Lord my God: Feed 
the flock of the slaughter." And elsewhere the pride of 
Jordan is said to be still frequented by the wild beast, and 
once a resort of lions, which appears from Jeremiah (49:19 ; 
1:44), Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swell- 
ing of Jordan against the habitation of the strong, but I 
will suddenly make him run away from her, and who is a 
chosen man that I may appoint over her, for who is like 
me? And who will appoint me the time ; and who is that 
shepherd that will stand before me, whereof the predicted 
destroyer for it is said: " He shall come up like a lion 
from the swelling of the Jordan." 

Between the Sea of Tiberias and the Dead Sea, the Jor- 
dan is said to receive many tributary streams, both from 
east and west, which render its course so rapid that it is 
scarcely possible to swim across it. In the winter it is said 
to completely overflow the deep valley in which it is im- 
bedded, though it never rises to the level of the great plain 
of the Jordan. We read (Judges 3:28) that Ehud took 



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153 



possession of the fords of Jordan to intercept the Moab- 
ites. The river is said to be now fordable in many places 
in the summer ; at other times in very few places, and these 
were known only to the Arabs. I read in Joshua, also 1 
Chron., that the Jordan overflows all its banks all the time 
of harvest, which, in Palestine, is said to be the latter part 
of March and the whole of April. The river is said to be 
deeper, which, I suppose, prevents it overflowing at the 
present day. Josh. 3:15 ; 1 Chron. 12:15. 

The waters of the Jordan are said to be turbid, being 
charged with a black bituminous sediment. When drawn 
off, however, in vessels it is said to be clear and bright, as 
well as pleasant to the taste, and may be kept fresh an un- 
usual length of time. With this water John baptized 
.his followers, as well as Christ himself (Matt. 3:16; 
Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22), a circumstance which in early 
times occasioned much superstitious reverence for this 
river. Thousands of Oriental Christians are said to have 
for centuries thronged annually to be washed in the waters 
with which Jesus was baptized. The whole length of the 
Jordan is said to be 100 miles by a straight course on the 
map, and with its winding may be computed at 150 miles. 
It is said that different accounts are given by travelers of 
its breadth. Quite a number of quotations of the ancient 
historians have been ascertained of its breadth, which may 
seem from twenty yards, sixty paces, fifty paces and eighty 
paces, and near Jericho, where the now called Negro 
lived, was twenty-five paces ; it is said that the average is 
thirty yards ; it may not be that. ISTo river of so little 
breadth rolls with so rapid or so deep a current of the 
minor streams mentioned in the Bible. The most northerlv 
is the Kishon, which rises at the foot of Mount Tabor, and 
not far from its source it is divided into two branches, one 
of which flows eastward into the Dead Sea ; while the 
other, which is the largest and to which the name Kishon 



154 



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is commonly applied, takes an opposite direction, and after 
receiving in its course supplies from the spriugs and brooks 
of Mount Ephraim, Samaria and the plain of Esdraelon, 
empties itself into the bay of Acre at the foot of Mount 
Carmel. The mouth of this stream is said to be often 
choked with sand during the summer season, in which case 
it leaves its channel and forms a lake. In the winter it is 
said to be higher, and it is dangerous to cross ; the banks 
of this stream are among the most beautiful and fertile 
spots in the (now called) Holy Land, or (the Negro) Pal- 
estine. The Kishon is remarkable for the battle between 
Sisera and Barak, which was fought upon its banks. 
Judges 4:6-13. In the song which Deborah composed on 
that occasion, it is called the waters of Megiddo 
(Judges 5:19), from a place of that name near which it 
flowed. Here, too, Elijah slew the four hundred and fifty 
priests of Baal. 1 Kings 18:40. The Kishon is the river 
said to be between or before Jokneam, mentioned in 
Joshua (19:11) as the boundary between the tribes of 
Zebulun andlssachar. I see the brook Kanah, mentioned in 
Joshua (16:8 ; 17:9-10) as the dividing line between 
the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, flows from east to 
west and falls into the Mediterranean Sea. The brook 
Cherith, by which Elijah dwelt (1 Kings 17:3 5) rises in 
the northwest region of the plain of Jericho and falls into 
the Jordan to the east of the city of Samaria. The water 
of Jericho, mentioned in Joshua (16:1), is said to be the 
same river that is mentioned in 15:7. It was a source 
of the spring near Jericho, the same, according to Jo- 
sephus, into which Elisha cast salt and healed the water, 
which before was poisonous. 2 Kings 2:19-22. In the 
deep valley which divides Jerusalem from the Mount of 
Olives rises the brook Kedron, called also Kidron and Ce- 
dron, which flows towards the south, and after many 
windings falls into the Dead Sea. In the "summer time it 
is almost dry, but rises above its bed when swollen with 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



155 



the winter rains. Over this brook David passed when he 
fled from his son Absalom, and our Lord on his betrayal — 
the night when he was betrayed. 2 Sam. 15:23; John 
18:1; 1 Kings 15:13 ; 2 Chron. 15:16; 30:13-14; 2 
Kings 23:4-12. The brook Besor, i. e., the Cold Brook, 
is only mentioned in 1 Samuel (30:9-11) as the stream over 
which David passed in pursuit of the Amalekites who had 
robbed and burned Ziklag. All that we know of its situa- 
tion is that it was near the southern boundary. East of 
the Jordan there are said to be two which are mentioned 
in the Scriptures. The Jabbok is first mentioned in the 
history of Jacob, who forded it on his return from Meso- 
potamia to (now called Negro) Canaan. It is now called 
Zerka or the Blue River. It rises in Mount Gilead and 
in the course of a few miles it flows into the Jordan. Its 
bed is said to be in a remarkably deep valley, but the 
stream itself is very inconsiderable. It was formerly the 
boundary between the Ammonites and the (now called Ne- 
gro) Amorites. Num. 21:24; Joshua 12:2; Judges 11: 
12-22. The most considerable stream east of the Jordan is 
the Arnon, now called Mujeb, which divides Belkah, once 
the land of the Ammonites, from Caracea, the ancient 
Moab. Num. 21:13-15; Deut. 4:48; Judges 11:21-22. 
This stream was the southern boundary of the Jordan be- 
yond the land of the children of Israel. It is said to rise 
in the mountains of Arabia. The margin of the brook is 
covered with verdure, but beyond the banks rise on either 
side into abrupt and rugged cliffs. The Arnon is almost 
dry during the summer, but in the winter is an impetuous 
torrent. When Moses called the (now called Negro) 
Promise Land a land of brooks and fountains, he means in 
comparison with Egypt and desert of Arabia. We have 
already seen that Palestine has but one large river, and 
not many minor streams ; nor does it abound much more 
in springs. The district is said to have been called the 



156 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



wilderness of Judea. John the Baptist is said to have 
lived in that part of the country. The gardens were well 
watered ; there are said to be many springs in Palestine — 
yet some of them are dry in summer, to which the prophets 
allude when they speak of waters that fail. Jeremiah 15: 
18; Isaiah 58:11. This natural scarcity of water is said 
to greatly enhance the value of those districts which were 
well supplied, and in such districts the first settlements 
were said to have been built up, and hence we can find 
many places mentioned in the Scriptures under the name 
of fountains, near which they were situated, such as Eu- 
gedi (Joshua 15:62)^ Engannim (Joshua 21:29), Eneglaim 
(Ezekiel 47:10), and many others, in all of which the first 
syllable "En" is said to be the Hebrew for a spring or 
fountain. The fountain in Jezreel, mentioned in 1 
Samuel (29:1), is said to be the same called the well of 
Harod in Judges (7:1), and Jacob's well in John (4:6-11). 
It is said to be a few miles south of Nablos, the ancient 
Shechem, and said to be 100 feet deep. The Empress 
Helena erected a magnificent church over the spot, which 
has entirely disappeared into ruins. The want of springs 
necessarily led to the digging of weils. Several were said 
to have been dug by Father Abraham in the (now said 
Negro) Philistines' land, and also one by his son Isaac in 
the valley of Gerar, where, says Moses, they found a well 
of springing water. Gen. 26:19. In those spots, it is said, 
where water could not be obtained by digging it was nec- 
essary to have recourse to cisterns for the preservation of 
rain water. These were, commonly, spacious subterrane- 
ous cavities, with a narrow mouth, which was generally 
covered over and concealed when the cistern was full. 
Sometimes, it is said, however, that the w T ater would sink 
into the earth, and leave the cistern dry, as it was the case 
with that into which Joseph's brethren cast hkn. Gen. 37: 
22-24. In the Psalms deep calamity is often likened to 



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157 



an empty cistern, translated into our English Bible, pit. 
Ps. 55:23; 88:6; Jer. 2:13. In old, decayed cisterns the 
water is said to become slimy, or dried up, on which cir- 
cumstance the Prophet Jeremiah founds a lively metaphor. 
Not far from the southeast of the Dead Sea there is a spot 
which has loug been famous for its medicinal warm springs. 
It was called by the Greeks Callihol, and is said by the 
aucient historiau to have been discovered by Anah (Gen. 
36:24), where, I am taught, the word translated in our 
Bible wells also is said to mean warm springs, and is so 
explained by the most of the ancient writers. These 
springs are mentioned by Josephus, who states that Herod 
drank the water for his health. The (now called Negro) 
land of Canaan is called in Scripture a land flowing with 
milk and honey (Ex. 3:8; 13:5; 33:3), and elsewhere a 
good land (Deut. 3:25), a fat land (Neh. 9:25-36), a pleas- 
ant land (Ps. 106:24; Jer. 3:19), a glorious land (Dan. 
11:16-41), and the glory of all lands (Ezek. 20:6). These 
are the (now called Negro) lands which we once did pos- 
sess in Africa, near the land of Ham, or Egypt. So the 
children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduest 
before them the inhabitants of the land of the (Negro) Ca- 
naanites, and gave them into their hands with the (now 
called Negro) kings, and the people of the land, that they 
might do with them as they would ; and found his heart 
faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to 
give the land of the (now called Negro) Cauaanites, the 
(Negro) Hittiles, the Amorites (Negro), and the Perizzites 
(said Negro), and the Jebusites and the Girgashites, to give 
it, I say, to his seed and hast performed thy words, for 
thou art righteous." 

In ancient times this country, being subjected by the 
Turkish government, was said to be principally peo- 
pled by Arab tribes, who did not practice agriculture any 



158 



THE REVEALED WORD OP GOD. 



more, but they cultivated aspect, which entitled it to the 
description given in the passage above quoted. 

It has been said that but few countries in the world have 
had any more natural advantages than Palestine is possessed 
with. It has been remarkable to know that herds feed 
upon the verdant hills of Galilee, and in rich valleys of 
the Jordan, while vast swarms of bees made their cells in 
the trees and rocks of the most deserted regions; so that 
Palestine still merits the ancient appellation of a land flow- 
ing with milk and honey (the Negro land). When Abra- 
ham emigrated to the country which was afterwards pos- 
sessed by his posterity, it was occupied by the (Negro) 
Canaanites (Gen. 12:6 ; 13:7); the Avim, who dwelt in the 
southwest, towards Gaza, and were extirpated by the Philis- 
tines (the now called Negro) ; a colony from Caphtor, 
commonly supposed to be the same with Crete (Deut. 
2:23; Jer. 47:4; Amos 9:7); the Horites or dwellers in 
caves, who inhabited Mount Seir, afterwards called Idumea. 
These are said to have mingled with the (now called Ne- 
gro) Canaanites, but were afterwards destroyed by the 
Edomites. Gen. 14:6; 36:20-30; Deut. 2:22. The Re- 
phaim, or giants, so called from their extraordinary stat- 
ure, who dwelt in the eastern part of (now called Negro) 
Palestine, and were subdivided into Emiras, whose territo- 
ries were afterwards called the land of Moab. Gen. 14:5 ; 
Deut. 29:10. 

The Zamzummim, whose territory was afterwards called 
the land of the Ammonites (Deut. 2:20) ; the Rephaim 
of Bashan, beyond the Jordan, over whom Og reigned in 
the days of Moses. This king, I am informed, possessed 
three score cities, fenced with high walls, gates and bars, 
besides a great many unwalled towns. Deut. 3:3. In the 
days of Abraham these Rephaim were conquered by Che- 
dorlaomer of Elam. Gen. 14:5. They were afterwards 
driven out and destroyed, first, by the Ammonites and 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



159 



Moabites, and finally by Moses (Deut. 3:3-16) ; And the 
Lord said unto me, Fear him not, for I will deliver him 
and all his people, and his land, into thy hand, and thou 
shalt do unto him as thou didst unto the (Negro) Sihon, 
King of the Amorites, which dwelt at the (now called Ne- 
gro) town Heshbon. So the Lord our God delivered into 
our hands Og, also the King of Bashan, and all his people, 
and we smote him until none was left to him remaining. 
And we took all his cities. At that time there was not a 
city which we took not from them — three score cities — all 
the region of Argot, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. All 
these cities were fenced with high walls, gates and bars ; 
besides unwalled towns a great many, and we utterly de- 
stroyed them, as we did unto the (Negro) King of Hesh- 
bon, Sihon, utterly destroying the men, and women, and 
children of every city. But all the cattle and spoil of the 
cities we took for a prey for ourselves, and we took at that 
time out of the hands of the two kings of the (now called 
Negro) Amorites the land that was on this side of Jordau, 
from the river of Arnon unto Mount Hermon, which Her- 
mon the (Negro) Sidonians call Sirion, and the (Negro 
Amorites call it Shinar. All the cities of the plain, and all 
Gilead and all Bashan unto Salchah and Edrei, cities of 
the kingdom of Og, in Bashan. 

The Anakim or sons of Anak, who were also of gigant ic 
stature, occupied in the time of Moses the region between 
Hebron and Jerusalem. They were at first an object of 
great terror to the Israelites. Deut. 9:1-3. Like the Re- 
phaims, they were subdivided into several clans, the tribes 
of Ahiman, Sheshai, aud Talmai, who dwelt about Hebron. 
Num. 13:22. Hebron was of old called Arba, from a great 
man among the Anakim. Josh. 14:15. The Anakim, who 
inhabited the mountainous regions of Debir and Anab, and 
who were destroyed by Joshua (11:21), the Anakim of 
Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod in the land of the (now called 



160 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Negro) Philistines. These alone are said to have remained 
in the land after the entrance of the Hebrews. Josh. 11:22; 
Gen. 15:19. 

We see where Moses enumerates the Kenites among the 
nations who had possession of (the now called Negro) 
Canaan in the time of Abraham, at an early period, but it 
seems that they were driven to the southern border of the 
(now called Xegro) Canaanites, and mingled with the 
Midianites. Judges 4:2-24. The (now called Negro) kings 
are seen among all the people of that day. It appears from 
Numbers (24:21-22), and it is said that they dwelt in the 
high lands near the Ammonites and Moabites. In the 
time of Saul they had no fixed residence but dwelt among 
the Amalekites. 1 Sam. 15:6. All of these aboriginal 
tribes were either extirpated by or embodied with the (now 
called Negro) Canaanites, the descendants of Canaan, the 
son of (the now called Negro) Ham. Gen. 10:6. Canaan 
had eleven sons ( 15:19): "And Canaan begat Sidon his first 
born, and Heth, and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, aud 
the Girgashite, aud the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sin- 
ite, and the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamath- 
ite ; and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread 
abroad." And having the three, with the beginning 
of the document of the table of Shem, Japheth, and 
Ham ( or the now called Negro ), which, according to 
the Bible, have solved the three. 1 Chron. 1:14-29; Gen. 
10:1-32. See the border of the (Negro) Cananites exten- 
ded from (the Negro) Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar unto 
Gaza. 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



161 



CHAPTER X. 

Remember we told you that Canaan had eleven sons, 
from whom descended eleven tribes called after their names. 
They are now called the Negro Race. If this fails to solve 
this problem, where shall we go to find it ? because we are 
taught that this is the word of eternal life. Here we name 
the (Negro) Sidonites, the Hittites, the Jebusites, the Amor- 
ites, Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the 
Arvadites, the Zemarites, the Hamathites. These are said 
to have emigrated at an early period from the East and took 
possession of the whole region from Sidon unto Gaza. Gen. 
10:19. Five of the tribes, viz.: the Sidonites, the Arkites, 
the Arvadites, the Hamathites, and the Sinites, are said to 
have settled in Syria and Phoenicia, and the remaining six 
inCanaau, where they formed a number of principalities or 
petty kingdoms, of which Joshua enumerates thirty-one 
(now called Negro) towns and cities (12:9-24). We see 
in the Scripture that these people are mentioned in a va- 
riety of ways. They are now called Negroes. I hope to 
show them to the world from God's sacred Bible. Some- 
times they were called by the general name of Canaanites 
(Ex. 13:5-11; Deut, 11:30; Josh. 17:12-18), and sometimes 
Canaanites and Perizzites. Gen. 13:7-12 : Are they not 
on the other side of Jordan by the way where the sun goeth 
down in the land of the (Negro) Canaanites, which dwelt 
in the champaign over against Gilgal, beside the plain of 
Moreh ? which last words are said to signify lowlanders or 
inhabitants of the plain. Sometimes two of the particular 
tribes are mentioned in connection with the general name 
to express the whole, and sometimes four (Ex. 23:28; 
13:5), sometimes five (Ex. 3:8-17; 33:2; 34:11; Josh. 12:8), 
li 



162 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



sometimes six (Deut. 7:1; Josh. 3:10; Acts 13:19). In 
one passage Moses enumerates ten tribes of the now called 
Negro as being in possession of the Promised Land. The 
now called Negro descended from them as the Hamath 
people, the Kenites, and the Kenizzites, the Kadmarites, 
the Hittites, the Perizzites, and the Rephaim, the Amorites, 
the Cauaauites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. Three 
of these are said to be an old remains of the aboriginal 
tribes, who at the time of Abraham's migration from the 
East had coalesced with their (now called Negro) Canaan- 
itish conquerors. 

A few words will be necessary in relation to the geo- 
graphical position occupied by the six tribes of Cauaau- 
ites who settled within the borders of the (Negro) said 
Palestine. The (Negro) Hivites dwelt iu the north at the 
foot of the Mount Hermon until they were overthrown by 
Joshua with the northern tribes (Josh. 11:2-3; Gen. 
15:19:21), nor were they even then wholly expelled, for in 
Judges we find mention of the (now called Negro) Hivites 
that dwelt in Mount Lebanon from Baal-Hermon uuto the 
entering in of (the Negro) Hamath. That they were not 
exterminated at the time of David appears from 2 Samuel 
24:7 and 1 Kin^s 9:20. Shechemites and Gibeonites were 
also Hivites (the now called Negro), as we learn from Gen. 
34:2 and Joshua 11:19. And when Shechem, the son of 
Hamor, the (Negro) Hivite prince of the country, saw her 
he took her and lay with her and defiled her, and his soul 
clave unto Dinah, the daughter of Jacob; and he loved the 
damsel and spake kindly unto the damsel. And Shechem 
spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel 
for wife. The Jebusites had possession on the mountain- 
ous regions about Jerusalem, as well as of Jerusalem 
itself, which was at first called Jebusi or Jebus (the now 
called Negro). Josh. 11:3; 15:8-63 ; 18:28. The Benjam- 
ites, to whom this region was alloted, did not drive out the 



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163 



the (now called Negro) Jebasites that inhabited Jerusalem, 
but the Jebusites dwelt with the children of Benjamin in 
Jerusalem until David took possession of the city (2 Sam. 
5:6-8), and even after that event the (Negro) Jebusites 
were suffered to reside there unmolested, as we find David 
purchasing of (the Negro) Araunah, the Jebusite prince, the 
ground upon which the temple was afterwards erected. 
2 Sam. 24:23-24. 

The (now called Negro) Amorites in the time of Abra- 
ham dwelt in Zezon-Tamar (Gen. 14:7), then afterwards 
called Engedi, west of the Dead Sea, southwest of Jerusalem. 
Afterwards it is said that they extended themselves over 
the entire mountainous region in the south of (the now 
called Negro) Canaan between the Mediterranean and the 
Dead Sea, which was on that account called the mountains 
of the Amorites (now called Negro in the United States of 
America), though it was said to have been called after- 
wards the mountains of Judah. Deut. 1:19-20; Num. 
13:29; Josh. 11:3. The (Negro) name Amorites is some- 
times connected with the Canaanites (Gen. 15:16); the Ama- 
lekites dwelt in the land of the south, and the (Negro 
now called) Hittites, and the Jebusites (Negro), and the 
Amorites (said Negro) dwelt in the mountains and 
the (Negro) Canaanites dwelt by the sea and by the 
coast of Jordan; and sometimes in a more restricted sense 
with those who inhabited the mountains of the south (Josh. 
10:5-12), and that the (Negro said to be) Amorites had 
extended themselves considerably at an early period. It 
is said that they forced the children of Dan into the moun- 
tain, and would not suffer them to come down to the 
valley, and that they would dwell in Mount Heres and 
Shaalbim, which places belonged to the tribe of Ephraim. 
Judges 1:34-35. 

Before the time of Moses, the (Negro) Amorites had 
passed the Jordan and founded these two kingdoms, the 



164 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



most northerly of which was called Bashan, the other at 
first only reached to the Jabbok southward, but the (said 
Negro) Amorites under their king, Sihon, crossed that 
stream and drove out the Ammonites and Moabites from 
their possession. Num. 21:13-26; 23:33-39; Deut.4:46;31:4 ; 
Josh. 9:10. After this the Jabbok was the southern boundary 
of the (now called Negro) Amorites until they were con- 
quered and expelled by the Israelites, who maintained 
possession of the land, notwithstanding the remonstrances 
of the Ammonites. Judges 11:8. 

The (Negro) Hittites dwelt near the town of (the now 
called Negro) Hebron in the time of Abraham, who bought 
a cave (from the now called Negro) in that quarter. 
Gen. 23:3-20; 25:9-10. Their territory seems to have 
reached as far as Beersheba, for, while Isaac was residing 
there Esau married two (Negro now called) Hittite women. 
Gen. 26:34; 27:46. 

Sarah died in Kirjath-Arba, the same is the (now called 
Negro) town Hebron in the land of Canaan. And Abra- 
ham came to mournjfor Sarah and to weep. And Abraham 
stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of 
(the now called Negro) Heth, saying, I am a stranger and 
sojourner with you ; give me a possession of a burying 
place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. 
And the (now called Negro) children of Heth answered 
Abraham, saying unto him, Hear us, my lord, thou art 
a mighty prince among us, in the choice of our sepulchres 
thou mayst bury thy dead ; and Abraham stood up 
and bowed himself to the people of the land, even uuto 
the (Negro) children of Heth. And he communed with 
them, saying, If it be in your mind that I should bury my 
dead out of sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron, 
the son of Zohar, |that he may give me the cave of 
Machpelah which he hath, which is in the end of his field, 
for as much money as it is worth, he shall give it me for a 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



165 



possession of a burying place amongst you. And Ephron 
dwelt among the children of Heth (the now called Xegro). 
And Ephron, the Hittite (Negro), answered Abraham in 
the audience of the children of Heth (the now said 
Negro), even of all that went out the gate of his city, 
saying, Nay, my lord, hear me; the field give I thee, and 
the cave lhat is therein, I give thee ; in the presence of 
the sons of my people give I it thee; bury thy dead. And 
Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the 
land And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the 
people of the land, saying, But if thou will give it, I pray 
thee hear me, I will give thee money for the field, take it 
of me and I will bury my dead there: and Ephron an- 
swered Abraham, saying unto him, My lord, hearken unto 
me, the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what 
is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead. 
And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron, and Abraham 
weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the 
audience of the sons of Heth (the said Negro) four hun- 
dred shekels of silver, current money with the merchants. 
And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which 
was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was 
therein, and the trees that were in the field, that were in 
all the borders round about, were made sure unto Abraham, 
for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth 
(the now called Negro), before all that went in at the gate 
of his city. And after this Abraham buried Sarah his 
wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before 
Mamre, the same is the (now called Negro) town 
Hebron, in the land of Canaan; and the field and the 
cave that are therein were made sure unto Abraham, 
for a possession of a burying place, by the sons of (the 
now called Negro) Heth. 

In the time of Moses we learn from the statement of 
spies that the (now called Negro) Hittites dwelt with 



166 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



the (Negro) Amorites in the mountains of Judah 
(Num. 13:29) when the Israelites took possession of 
the land; the (now called Negro) Hittites appear to 
have removed farther north, for in Judges 1:26 the re- 
gion about Bethel in the tribe of Ephraim is called the 
Hittites' (Negro) ; that they continued, even after the 
conquest, to maintain some degree of independence. 
It appears from the facts that Uriah, one of David's 
generals, was a (now called Negro) Hittite. 2 Sam. 
11:3-6. And the man went into the land of the Hittites 
(now said Negro) and built a city and called the name 
thereof Luz, which is the name thereof unto this day. 

Solomon was the first who made the (now called 
Negro) Hittites tributary (1 Kings 9.20); and I see 
that the ancient historians state that Solomon had 
(Negro) Hittite women among his wives and con- 
cubines. 1 Kings 11 : 1. And finally we read in 
the book of Kings (1 Kings 10:29; 2 Kings 7:6) of 
kings of the (Negro) Hittites even after the return 
of the Hebrews from captivity. We find (Ezra 9:1-2) 
the (Negro) Hittites mentioned among the nations with 
whom the Jews intermarried. Now, when these things 
were done the princes came to me saying : The people of 
Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated 
themselves from the people of the land, doing according to 
their abominations, even of the Canaanites (Negro), the 
(said Negro) Hittites, the Perizzites (Negro), and the (Ne- 
gro) Jebusites, and the Ammonites, the Moabites, and 
the Egyptians, and the (Negro) Amorites. For they have 
taken off their daughters for themselves and for their sons, 
so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the 
people of those lands, yea the hand of the princes and rulers 
have been chief in their trespass. The precise location 
of the (Negro) Zemorites is uncertain. The Girgashites 
dwelt between the Hivites (Negro) and the Jebusites. The 



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167 



name Perizzites is applied in Scripture to the inhabitants 
of different and distant regions. Thus in Genesis it de- 
notes those who dwelt between Bethel and Ai, and the in- 
habitants of Shechem and the surrounding country. Gen- 
esis 13:7 ; 34:30; Joshua 17:15; Judges 1:4-5. A part 
of the territory of the children of Joseph is called the land 
of the (now called Negro) Perizzites, while in Judges we 
find them residiug within the bounds of Judah. It is said 
that it is not the proper name of any tribe, but signifies 
lowlanders, or dwellers in the plain, which is in fact the 
strict meaning of the word. The (now called Negro) Can- 
aauites, like the adjoining Phoenicians (Negro), appear to 
have made considerable advance in refinement and the 
arts. Moses describes the land as one abounding in goodly 
cities, houses full of all good things, wells, vineyards and 
olive trees like the Syrians, and Phoenicians, too. Deut- 
eronomy 6:11. And thou shalt write them upon the posts 
of thy houses and on the gates, and it shall be when the 
Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land w r hich 
he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to 
Jacob, to give the great and goodly cities, the (now called 
Negro) cities which thou buildedst not, and houses full of 
all good things which thou filledst not, and wells digged 
which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees which 
thou plantedst not, when thou shalt have eaten and be full, 
then beware, lest thou forget the Lord which brought thee 
out of the land of Egypt or Ham ; from the house of bond- 
age. They (now called Negro) could not form into one 
body, but split themselves into a great variety of petty 
principalities. Their government appears to have been in 
the earliest times aristocratical, with a chief with very lim- 
ited authority. When Abraham wished to make a pur- 
chase from Ephron, the (now called Negro) Hittite, it was 
necessary that the bargain should be made in an assembly 
of the people. Genesis 23. And Hamor the (Negro) 



168 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Hivite was unable to make any stipulation with the sons 
of Jacob until the men of Shechem were consulted. Gen- 
esis 34. Whether the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, 
Zeboim and Zoar were (the now called Negro) Canaanites 
is uncertain. In the time of Moses the land was divided 
into thirty-one principalities, as we read in Joshua (12:9). 
Feuds, of course, would be frequent among these numer- 
ous communities. And in Judges (1:7) we find Adoni 
Bezek saying : Three-score and ten kings having their 
thumbs aud toes cut off gathered their meat under my table; 
some of these appeared to have had chiefs which did exer- 
cise authority over others. Thus Adoni Zedek, king of 
Jerusalem, when he heard that the Gibeonites had made 
peace with Israel, he summoned four other kings to march 
with him against Gibeon (Joshua 10:1-4), and immediately 
afterward Jabin, king of Hazo did the same. Joshua 
11:1-3. Here we see that the (now called) Negro is con- 
quered and scattered, that is to some extent. When the 
Israelites took possession of the land of Canaan (the Ne- 
gro) it was divided into twelve parts, according to the num- 
ber of tribes. The Levites, however, had no portion as- 
signed to them with their brethren except forty-eight (Ne- 
gro) cities scattered through the territory of the other 
tribes. Numbers 35:2 ; Joshua 21. Still the number was 
not complete, for the children of Joseph were divided into 
two tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh, because Jacob had 
adopted both of the sons of Joseph and had admitted both 
to equal rights with his own children. Genesis 48:5; 14:4. 
According to the command received by Moses the whole 
land was to be divided among the tribes by lot, not 
equally, but in proportion to their strength and their num- 
er. This mode of distribution, however, was adopted by 
nine tribes and a half in relation, before the conquest of the 
country west of Jordan ; the tribes of Reuben and Gad 
and half of the tribe of Manasseh settled on the other side. 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



169 



Numbers 32; Joshua 13:7; 14:2; Numbers 26:50-58. 
This arrangement was requested by the Reubenites and 
Gadites on account of the number of their flocks and the 
excellence of their pastures in that region. Their request 
was granted on condition that they should assist their breth- 
ren in the conquest of the land before they took up their 
abode beyond the river. Numbers 32:17. As we find no 
mention of any application of the same kind being 
made by the Manassites, it is said that Moses of his own 
-accord assigned to half of them their place east of the Jor- 
dan partly because the Reubenites and the Gadites were 
not numerous enough for the entire occupation and defense 
of that large region, and partly because the Manassites had 
assisted largely in the conquest of it. As they were not 
able, however, to expel the (now called Negro) old inhab- 
itants entirely, only half of the tribe could be provided for 
on that side of the river. Numbers 32:39-40 ; Joshua 
13:13. 

In attempting to describe the geographical position of 
the tribes we shall pursue the order of time in which they 
obtained possession of their territories, and shall there- 
fore begin with the two tribes and a half who settled east 
of the Jordan. Of these the most numerous was 
that of Reuben, whose boundary, as we read in Joshua 
(13:15), was from Aroer, that is on the bank of the river 
Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, i. e., 
on an island in the midst of it, and all the plain by or unto 
Medeba. The territory of this tribe was divided by Arnon 
from the desert of Arabia on the east, and the land of 
Moab on the south ; it was bounded on the west by the 
Jordan, and on the north by the land of Gad. This region 
is now called Belkah by the historian, and is said to be 
celebrated as of old for the richness of its pastures and 
the multitudes of its cattle, sheep and goats, which it is said 
to support. 



170 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



In Numbers (32:3) and Joshua (13:16-20) seventeen of 
the (now called Negro) cities are enumerated which were 
situated within the bounds of the tribe of Reuben. The 
ruins of some of these places are said to be visible, and 
retain their ancient names. Among these are Elealeh (Num. 
32:3-37 ; Isaiah 15:4 ; 16:9 ; Jer. 48:34), now called Elaal^ 
which lies in ruins on the top of a hill overlooking the 
whole plain, aud is said to abound in cisterns and the 
foundations of old houses. Heshbon, the ancient royal city 
of the (now called Negro) Amorites (Num. 21:26), now 
called Hesban, near which are wells and ponds hewn out 
of solid rock, and alluded to in Solomon's Song (7:4) : 
Thy neck is as a tower of ivory, thine eyes like the fish- 
pools in the (now called Negro) city Heshbon, by the gate 
of Bath Rabbi m ; thy nose as the tower of Lebanon, which 
looketh toward Damascus; for Heshbon was the city of the 
(now called Negro) king of the Amorites, Sihon, in Hesh- 
bon, who had fought against the former king of Moab, 
and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon, 
wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Hesh- 
bon. Let the city of Sihon be built and prepared, for there 
is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of the 
(Negro) King Sihon. It hath consumed Ar of Moab and 
the lords of the high places of Arnon. This city is men- 
tioned in Joshua (13:26 ; 21:39) among those belonging 
to the tribe of Gad. At a later period it was in the hands 
of the Moabites (Isaiah 15:4; Jer. 48:2). These are the 
(now called Negro) situations in ancient times. Look at 
Baal-Meon (Joshua 13:17), now called Mium; Medeba 
now called Madaba (v. 16), situated on the remains of an 
ancient, ruined well-paved causeway. There is no stream 
said to be in the neighborhood. Here are also ponds and 
reservoirs and the ruins of a temple. Kirjathaim (Joshua 
13:19), now called Elthaim, was among the oldest cities 
east of the Jordan; it was inhabited in the early times by 



THE KEVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



171 



the Emims, one of the aboriginal tribes. Gen. 14:5. It 
was afterwards in the possession of the Moabites, and 
having suffered much in war, was rebuilt by the Reuben- 
ites, who seized upon it shortly before the destruction of 
Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. It was again taken by the 
Moabites. Jer. 48:23 ; Ezek. 25:9. 

Dibon is mentioned (Josh. 13:17) among the cities of 
Reuben, but in Numbers 33:45 it is called Dibongad, be- 
cause it was said to have been rebuilt by the children of 
Gad (32:34). In Isaiah (15:9) it is called Dimon Aroer, 
one of the landmarks of the tribe of Reuben (Josh. l3:25), 
now called Araair, situated on the brook Arnon. There 
was another city of this name on the Jabbok, belonging 
to the tribe of Gad (v. 25), Jahaz (Isaiah 15:1), where (the 
now called Negro) Sihon, king of the Amorites, was over- 
thrown. And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh ; their voice 
shall be heard even unto Jahaz. Therefore the armed sol- 
diers of Moab shall cry out ; his life shall be grievous 
unto him. My heart shall cry out for Moab, and (the 
now called Negro) Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass 
through his border. But Sihon (the now called Negro) a 
gathered all his people together and went out against Israel 
into the wilderness, and he came to Jahaz, and fought 
against Israel. Num. 21:23; Deut. 21:32. This town was 
said to be situated on the borders of the land of the (Negro 
now called) Amorites toward the desert. The tribe of Gad 
occupied the northern part of the land of Gilead, bounded 
on the north by the brook Jabbok, on the west by the 
Jordan, and on the south by the territories of the sons of 
Reuben. This region is said (Joshua 13:25) to have 
been half of the land of the children of Amnion, 
who had possessed it of old, until dispossessed by the (now 
called Negro) Amorites, but were so far from relinquish- 
ing their claims upon it that they formally demanded it of 
the Israelites three hundred years after, during the ad- 



172 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



ministration of Jephthah (Judges 11:26), who rejected 
the claim on the ground that the Israelites had taken the 
land from the (now called Negro) Amorites, and not the 
Ammonites. The cities of this region are called in Joshua 
the cities of Gilead, i. <?., Upper or North Gilead, the south- 
ern portion belonging to Reuben. Joshua 13:25. We 
have no such enumeration of the cities of Gad as of those 
within the bounds of Reuben; but by a comparison of 
Joshua 13:25-27 with Numbers 32:34-36 we can obtain 
a list of thirteen cities and sheepfolds, i. e., villages, were 
occupied by herdsmen and shepherds, rebuilt by the Gad- 
ites. 

Aroer, on the Jabbok, is described (Josh. 13:25) as 
lying before Rabbath, the capital of the Ammonites. It 
is mentioned in 2 Sam. 24:5, where we read that the men 
whom David sent to number Israel, passed over Jordan 
and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that 
lieth in the midst of the city of Gad, aud towards Jazer. 
This river of Gad was said to be the Jabbok, near which 
the ruins of Jazar are said to be visible. The ruins of 
Bethnimrah (Num. 32:36) now are said to bear the name 
of Nimrein ; Bethharan, mentioned in the same verse, was 
said to be afterwards called Livias, after the wife of Au- 
gustus Csesar, and Julias, after the wife of the Emperor 
Tiberi us. 

Mahanaim, or the hosts, so called because Jacob 
here saw a host of angels (Gen. 32:2), lay on the borders 
of Manasseh, upon the northern bank of the brook Jab- 
bok, and was one of the cities assigned to the Levites out 
of the tribe of Gad. Josh. 21:38; 1 Chron. 6:80. This 
city Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, selected for his royal resi- 
dence after his father's death (2 Sam. 2:8-29), and in it he 
was murdered. 2 Sam. 4:5-8. To this city David fled 
before Absalom. 2 Sam. 17:24-27; 1 Kings 2:8. Here 
resided one of the twelve officers appointed by King Solo- 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



173 



man to provide victuals for the royal household (1 Kings 
4:14). 

Kamoth in Gilead, or Mizpah in Gilead (Judges 11: 
29), was likewise one of the Levite cities (Joshua 21:38; 
1 Chron. 6:80), as well as a city of refuge. Deut. 4:43; 
Joshua 20:8. It is said that it is not situated far from 
the Jabbok, fifteen Roman miles southwest of Philadelphia, 
or Rabbah. This city was the residence of Jephthah. 
Judges 11:34. It was taken by the Syrians in the reign 
of Ahab, and was the scene of a battle between Ahab and 
the king of Syria, in Avhich the former was mortally 
wounded (1 Kings 22:29), and the territory of the half 
tribe of Manasseh lay north of that of Gad, and east of 
Jordan, but without any well defined limits toward the 
north and east. This region is said to be called in Joshua 
13:30-31, all Bashan and half of Gilead. The word Gilead 
appears to have been used in a wide sense to denote the 
whole region north of the Jabbok, and of course included 
Bashan, which is indeed called in Deuteronomy 3:13, the 
rest of Gilead. This name, too, appears to have been ap- 
plied to the Manassites themselves as being the inhabitants 
of the country (Judges 5:17). 

The (now called Negro) Holy Land or Palestine coun- 
try denotes in the Old Testament the Philistines (Negroes 
now called), which is that part of the land of promise ex- 
tending along the Mediterranean Sea on the varying west- 
ern border of Simeon, Judah and Dan. Exodus 15:14; 
Isaiah 14:29; Joel 3:4. 

Palestine, taken in later usage, in a more general sense, 
signifies the whole country of (the now called Negro) Ca- 
naan, as well beyond as on this side of Jordan, though fre- 
quently it is restricted to the country on this side of that 
river, so that in later times the word Judea and Palestine 
were synonymous. We find also the name of Syria-Pales- 
tina given to the (now called Negro) land of promise, and 



174 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



even sometimes this province is comprehended in Coile- 
Syria, or Lower Syria. 

Herodotus is said to be the most ancient writer known 
who speaks of Syria-Palestiua. He places it between 
Phoenicia and Ham or Egypt. See (the now called 
Negro) Canaan. The people shall hear and be afraid. 
Sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of the (Negro) 
land called Palestina. The dukes of Edom shall be 
amazed— the mighty men of Moab ; trembling shall take 
hold upon them. All the inhabitants of (the so-called 
Negro) Canaan shall melt away. Fear and dread shall 
fall upon them. Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O 
Tyre and Zidon ? And all the coasts of Palestine, will ye 
render me a recompense, and if ye recompense me, swiftly 
and speedily will I return your recompense upon your 
own head. Rejoice not, thou whole Palestina, because the 
rod of him that smote thee is broken, for out of the ser- 
pent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall 
be a fiery flying serpent. And the first-born of the poor 
shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety, and I 
will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy rem- 
nant. Howl, O gate ! Cry, O city, thou whole (now 
called Negro) Palestina art dissolved, for there shall come 
from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his 
appointed times. What shall one then answer the messen- 
ger of the nations, that the Lord hath founded Zion, and 
the poor of his people shall trust in it. 

It is stated in Joshua 13:30 that the cities of Bashan 
were three score. Of these, however, only two of them 
are mentioned (v. 31), Edrei and Asbtaroth. The ruins 
of the former are said to yet remain under the name of an- 
tiquity, as Draa. Ashtaroth is said to be the same with 
the ancient Mezaraib, a town with a castle, on the great 
route of the pilgrims from Damascus to Mecca. The re- 
maining cities of Bashan are said to be called by the gen- 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



175 



«ral name of the towns of Jair, from Jair who was of the 
tribe of Judah on the father's side, and a Manassite on the 
mother's. This name was given because Jair took posses- 
sion of the region on the invasion of the country. Num- 
bers 32:40-41; Deuteronomy 3:11-14; Judges 10:3-4. 
However, it is stated that Abimelech was succeeded as 
judge by one Jair, who had thirty sons that rode on thirty 
ass colts, and they had thirty cities which are called Hav- 
oth-Jar unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead. 

Kenath (mentioned in Numbers 32:42; 1 Chronicles 
2:23), though now said to be in ruins, still bears the 
name Kahuat. It is said to be situated on a brook of the 
same name, and has exhibited the remains of splendid 
edifices. 

Salcah (mentioned in Deuteronomy 3:10; Joshua 12:5 ; 
13:11; 1 Chronicles 5:11) is now called Salchat. It is on 
the border of the wilderness, and the ruins are said to be a 
round tower, or castle, on the top of a hill, which com- 
mands a very extensive view. 

After the death of Moses, Joshua having brought the 
children of Israel across the Jordan and carried on a war 
with the (now called Negro) inhabitants of Canaanites with 
varying success for seven years, then proceeded to the task 
of distributing the land among the tribes by lot. He 
found, however, on inquiry that the extent of the territory 
already conquered were barely sufficient for two tribes and 
one-half. He therefore assigned portions at this time only 
to Judah and Ephraim and the half tribe of Manasseh. 
Joshua 15:1; 16:1-4. The portion of the tribe of 
Judah w T as the southern extremity of (the now called 
Negro) Palestine, and occupied by the whole breaJth of 
the country from the Jordan to the sea. It was bounded 
on the east by the Dead Sea, and on the south by the land 
of Edom and of Amalek, and by the wilderness of Kadesh- 
Barnea, which formed a part of the great wilderness of 



176 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Sin, on the west by the Mediterranean, and on the north 
by a line running from the mouth of the Jordan through 
the valley of Achor, Gilgal, the valley of Hinuom, the 
valley of Rephaim, Kirjath-jearim, Bethshemesh, Zim- 
nah and Ekron to the Mediterranean Sea. This northern 
boundary was said to have been altered afterwards, when 
the portions were assigned in that quarter to the tribes of 
Benjamin and Dan. Josh. 18:11-28; 19:40-48. The 
cities belonging to the tribe of Judah are enumerated in 
Joshua (15 :21-62), where they are said to be divided into 
four classes: 1st. The utmost cities toward the north coast 
of Edom, southwest (v. 21). 2d. The cities in the valley 
(v. 33), or, more properly, the plain or flat country, L e. r 
the Mediterranean. 3d. The cities in the mountains (v. 48),. 
i. e., in the interior. -4th. The cities in the wilderness 
(v. 61), i. e., on the shore of the Dead Sea. The number of 
the names recorded in this passage is 125. 1 But as the sum* 
stated by Joshua himself in verses 32, 36, 41, 44, 46, 51 r 
54, 57, 59, 60, 62, amount to only 115, it is said that some 
of the cities or places not mentioned as towns, were merely 
villages, by the expression used in the verses just referred 
to — cities with their villages. 

Some of the cities here enumerated, though situated in 
the bounds of Judah, do not appear to have been inhabited 
by the Israelites. Ashdod, Gaza, Askalon and Ekron con- 
tinued in the hands of the (now called Negro) Philistines. 

Of the (Negro ) cities above named, which we learn 
from Judges (1:18) that the tribe of Judah did at one time 
seize upon the last three mentioned. But they must have 
been soon retaken, for they are ever after mentioned a& 
cities of the (called Negro) Philistines. And a part of the 
territory thus assigned to the tribe of Judah was allotted 
to Simeon and Dan, as will be seen hereafter. 

It appears from the sixteenth chapter of Joshua (1-4) 
that one portion was originally assigned to the children of 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



177 



Joseph in common and though the distinct moieties of the 
tribe of Ephraim and the half tribe of Manasseh were 
afterwards laid off (16:5-10; 17:1-11), they still appear 
to be somewhat intermingled. Joshua says expressly 
(16:9) that there were separate cities for the children of 
Ephraim among the inheritance of the children of Man- 
asseh (17:8), and again, that Manasseh had the land of 
Tappuah, i. e., the region about Tappuah itself. The border 
of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim. We are 
informed, however, in Joshua (17:9-10) that the river or 
brook Kanah was the boundary between Ephraim and 
Manasseh; southward it was Ephraim's and northward it 
was Manasseh's, though the description given of the terri- 
tories of Ephraim in Joshua (17:5-8) is said to be some- 
what obscure. 

We gather from it that they extended north of it to (the 
now called Negro) Jericho — town or city — as far as the 
brook Kanah, stretching across the whole breadth of the 
land from the Mediterranean to the Jordan. 16:7-8. The 
separate portion of Manasseh was bounded on the north 
by the land of Asher, on the east by that of Issachar, on 
the south by the brook Kanah, dividing it from Ephraim, 
and on the west by the Mediterranean. Josh. 17:7. With- 
in this territory, as I have already mentioned, there were 
some cities belonging to the Ephraimites by way of com- 
pensation. Six cities with their villages were assigned to 
the Manassites lying within the bounds of Issachar and 
Asher (17:11), but the children of Manasseh could not 
drive out the (now called Negro) inhabitants of those cities, 
for the (now called Negro) Canaanites would dwell in that 
land, yet it came to pass when the children of Israel were 
waxed strong that they put the Canaanites (now called 
Negro) to tribute, but did not utterly drive them out. 
After the children of Judah and Joseph were provided with 

12 



178 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



their portion, a considerable time appears to have elapsed 
before the remaining seven tribes were located and settled. 
In the eighteenth chapter of Joshua (1:7) we read that 
Joshua assembled the people at Shiloh, and having set up 
the tabernacle there, said to the seven tribes, How long are 
you slack to go and possess the land which the Lord God of 
your fathers hath given you. He then proposed that twenty- 
one men should be selected, three from each of the unsettled 
tribes, to nake a survey and partition off the land, which 
measure was adopted from the report of these surveyors. 

It appears that the territory which had been assigned to the 
children of Judah and Joseph was too great in proportion 
to the residue of the land, and, at the same time, larger than 
what they needed or could occupy. A part of it was there- 
fore cut off and thrown into the common stock, which was 
now to be distributed by lot. In making this partition they 
appear to have first determined by lot the region in which 
the tribes should have their portion and then to have fixed 
its limits according to the quality of the land and the popu- 
lation of the tribes. The lot fell first to the tribe of Benja- 
min, who obtained a settlement between the children of 
Judah and the children of Joseph (Josh. 18:11), i. e., a part 
was taken from each of those tribes to make up the portion 
of the Benjamites. Among the twenty cities belonging to 
the tribe of Benjamin which are enumerated in Joshua 
(18:21-28), we find Jebusi, which is Jerusalem. This 
place, however, is said to not be in possession of the Israel- 
ites until the time of David. 2 Sam. D:6. Aud the king 
and his men went to Jerusalem unto the (now called Negro) 
Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land; speaking unto David, 
saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame thou 
shall not come in hither; thinking David cannot come in 
hither. Nevertheless, David said to the stronghold of Zion, 
The same is the city of David. And David said on that 
day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter and smiteth the 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



179 



<(now called Negro) Jebusites, and the lame and the blind 
that are hated of David's soul he shall be chief and cap- 
tain; wherefore they said, The blind and lame shall not come 
into the house. 

And the second lot came forth to Simeon, 
:and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the 
children of Judah. Josh. 19:1. There was not, however, 
:any particular district within the bounds of Judah allotted 
to the Simeonites. They merely possessed nineteen cities 
scattered through the territory of that tribe. These are 
•enumerated in Joshua (19:2-7). In the reign of Hezekiah 
the tribe of Simeon found it necessary to procure additional 
settlements in Mount Seir, southeast of Judah. 

The boundaries of the land of Zebulun are given in 
.Joshua (19:10-16), but the situations of the places, the land- 
marks, are said not to be given as a precise location of the 
tribes, of course, which, then, is uncertain. From a compari- 
son of the limits of the neighboring tribes, however, it is 
Said that Zebulun was bounded on the north and west by 
Asher, on the northeast by Naphtali, and extended as 
far south as Mount Tabor. That it bordered upon the sea 
of Gennesaret is evident from Matthew (4:13), where Caper- 
naum is said to be upon the seacoast in the border of Zebu- 
lun and Nephtalim. Twelve cities with their villages are 
-enumerated as belonging to the tribe of Zebulun. Josh. 
19:10-14. Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast 
into prison he departed into Galilee; and leaving Naza- 
reth he came and dwelt in Capernaum, w 7 hich is upon the 
seacoast in the borders of Zebulun and Nephtalim, that it 
might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, 
saying, The land of Zebulun and the land Nephtalim by 
the way of the sea beyond the Jordan. 

Galilee of the Gentiles, which (the now called Negro) 
occupied the portion of Issachar, was bounded on the 
north by that of Zebulun, on the west by that 



180 



THE REVEALED WOKD OF GOD. 



of Manasseh, on the south by that of Ephraim, 01* 
the east by the River Jordan. The district thus 
laid off was said to be in the form of a triangle. Joshua 
(19:18—22) enumerates sixteen cities belonging to the tribe 
of Issachar. These, however, were said to be only the most 
considerable, as two of the cities were allotted to the 
Levites within the bounds. Issachar is omitted in the 
list, and sixteen would scarcely be sufficient for a tribe 
which sent about 64,000 men to war. 

The territory of the tribe of Asher was said to be 
a small tract of land on the Mediterranean coast, 
bounded on the east by Zebulun, Issachar, and Naph- 
tali. Its southern extremity was said to be a little 
to the south of Carmel; its northern limits not far 
from (the now called Negro) Sidon, in Phoenicia 
(Negro country now called). Josh. 19:34. Of the 
twenty-four cities belonging to this tribe some were 
never occupied by Israelites. In Judges (11:31) we find 
seven mentioned from which the (now called Negro) 
Canaanites had not been driven out. To the tribe of 
Naphtali was assigned a narrow tract of land reaching 
from the land of Asher on the west to the Jordan on the 
east; on the south it was bounded by the tribe of Zebu- 
lun (19:34). This was the most northerly of all the 
tribes within its bounds. It was the city of Dan, commonly 
used in the Scripture to denote the northern extremity of 
the (now called Negro) Palestine country. It is not 
indeed mentioned among the cities of Naphtali, so said in 
Joshua (19:25-38), because it is said at that time it be- 
longed to the (Negro) Sidonians, and bore the name of 
Laish. It was afterwards conquered by an army of Dan- 
ites, who changed its name to that of their own tribe. 

The last and least portion assigned was that of the 
tribe of Dan ; like that of Benjamin, it lay between 
the territories of Judah and Joseph, and was bounded. 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



181 



on the east by the land of Benjamin, and on the west 
by the Mediterranean. The Dauites do not appear at 
any time to have been in full possession of the land 
allotted to them. 

Ekron, one of their cities (Josh. 19:43), is mentioned 
(1 Sam. 5:10; 2 Kings 1:2) as a city of the (now called 
Negro) Philistines; and we read in Judges (1:34-35) 
that the (Negro) Amorites forced the children of Dan 
into the mountain, for they would not suffer them to 
come clown into the valley before the tribe of Dan had 
possession of their territory ; a part of them, as I have 
already mentioned, took the city of Laish on the fron- 
tier of the Holy Land, the (Negro) Promise Land, the 
land of the Canaanites. Judges 18. 

So they sent and gathered together all of the lords of 
the (now called Negro) Philistines and said, Send away 
the ark of the Grod of Israel, and let it go again to its 
own place, that it slay us not, and our people; for there 
was a dreadful destruction throughout all the city, the 
hand of God was very heavy there. 

It has already been mentioned that the tribe of Levi 
had no part of the land allotted to them as their 
exclusive portion, but were allowed forty-eight 
cities, with the adjacent fields for the pasturage of 
their cattle, lying within the limits of the other 
tribes, each of which gave up, for this purpose, 
more or less according to their size and population. 
Most of these places were in the neighborhood of the 
sanctuary; and thirteen of them, all situated in the 
tribes of Judah and Benjamin, were appropriated by 
lot to the priests. Josh. 21:4. 

Hebron is one of the most ancient cities of the (now 
-called Negro) Canaanites, being built seven years be- 
fore Tanis, the capital of Lower Egypt or Ham. Num. 
13:22. It was anciently called Kirjath-Arba, and 



182 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Mamre, and was a favorite residence of the Patriarchs- 
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; here too they were buried.- 
Gen. 14:13-42; 23:2-19; 35:27. Under Joshua and Caleb,, 
the Israelites conquered it from the (now called Negro) 
Canaanites and Anakim, and it was afterwards made a' 
Levitical city of refuge. Josh. 14:13-15; 15:13; 21:11;, 
13; Judges 1:10. It was David's seat of government 
during the seven years when he reigned over Judah only. 
2 Sam. 2:3; 5:5. Here Absalom raised the standard of 
revolt. 2 Sam. 15:9-10. It was fortified by Kehoboam,. 
and is mentioned after the captivity, but in the New 
Testament. Neh. 11:25. 

At present Hebron is an unwalled city of about 8,000' 
inhabitants, of whom some 600 are Jews, and the re- 
mainder, Turks and Arabs; it lies in a deep valley, on> 
the adjacent hillside, in the ancient hill country of 
Judea, about twenty miles south of Jerusalem, and. 
2,600 feet above the level of the sea. Its name, El- 
Khulil, the Friend of God, is the same which the Mos- 
lems give to Abraham, the Friend of God; and they~ 
propose to hold in their keeping the burial place of the 
patriarchs, the cave of Machpelah; it is covered by a 
small mosque, surrounded by a stone structure 60 feet 
high 150 feet wide and 200 feet long; within this no 
Christian is permitted to enter, but it is evidently of 
very high antiquity, and may well be regarded as- 
inclosing the true site of the ancient tomb. 

Other relics of antiquity exist in two stone reservoirs,., 
the larger, 133 feet square and 21 feet deep. They are 
still in daily use, and one of them was probably the 
pool in Hebron above which David hung the assassins 
of Ishbosheth. 2 Sam. 4:12. The city contains nine 
mosques and two synagogues ; its streets are narrow ; 
the houses are stone, with flat roofs surmounted by 
small domes. Large quantities of glass lamps and 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



183 



colored rings are here manufactured : also leathern bot- 
tles, raisins and dibs or grape syrup. The environs of 
the city are very fertile, furnishing the finest vineyards 
in Palestine (the now called Negro Philistines), numer- 
ous plantations of olive and other fruit trees and ex- 
cellent pasturage. 

Now after the death of Solomon, ten of the tribes 
threw off their allegiance to his son and established a 
new kingdom, called the kingdom of Israel, while the 
tribes which had adhered to Kehoboam from that time 
bore the name of the kingdom of Judah. 1 Kings 
12:19-20. 

The kingdom of Israel comprehended all the country 
east of Jordan, and the northern districts on the other 
side. The kingdom of Judah consisted of the tribe of 
that name, and the southern part of the land of Benja- 
min ; the northern part of the latter tribe belonged 
to the new; the cities of Benjamin were subject to the 
authority of Jeroboam (1 Kings 12:29; 15:17); on the 
other hand, such possession of the tribe of Simeon as lay 
within the bounds of Judah, remained in the possession 
of the latter; thus Beersheba, Hormah, and Ziklag, 
which in Joshua (19:2-5) are recorded among the cities 
of Simeon, are (1 Kings 19:3; 1 Sam. 27:6; 30:30) men- 
tioned as belouging to the kingdom of Judah; so also 
Zorah and Ajalon were cities of Dan (Josh. 19:41-42), 
but remained in the possession of the kings of Judah. 
2 Chron. 11:10. 

After the return of the Jews from captivity to the 
land of their fathers, the ancient distribution of the 
country among the twelve tribes could no longer be kept 
up. Those who availed themselves of the permission 
grauted them by Cyrus to return to Palestine 
were principally of the tribes of Judah (the now called 
Negro Holy Land or Palestine), Benjamin and Levi. 



184 



THE EEVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



These, it is true, resumed their ancient possessions and 
observed their ancient limits, but of the other Israelites 
very -few returned, the greater part of them chose to 
remain in the land where they had been so long com- 
pelled to dwell; the few who did return, settled within 
the bounds of Benjamin and Judah, and amalgamated 
with them; besides, during the two hundred years 
which had elapsed since the ten tribes were carried into 
capiivity, the ancient landmarks or boundary lines 
must have been completely obliterated and forgotten. 

It has been inferred from Matthew (4:13) that the 
ancient division of the country still prevailed in the 
the time of Christ; it is evident, however, that the evan- 
gelist mentions the situation of Capernaum according 
to the ancient geographical division, merely showing 
the precise correspondence of the facts he records, with 
the prediction of the prophet: And leaving Nazareth, 
he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which* is upon the 
seacoast, in the borders of Zebulun and Nephtalim, that 
it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the 
prophet, saying, The land of Zebulun and the land ot 
Nephtalim by the sea, Galilee of the Gentiles. And 
how the (now called Negro) Holy Land or Palestine 
was divided while subject to the kings of Persia, I have 
no means of ascertaining. 



CHAPTER XI. 

Under the Syrian kings the region west of the Jordan 
was divided into Judea, Samaria and Galilee, which divi- 
sion was adopted and continued by the Romans. The 
country is east of the Jordan, and is said to have borne the 
Greek name Persea, derived from a preposition which sig- 
nifies beyond. As this is the division recognized in the 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



185 



Xew Testament, as well as by the Greeks aud Romans, by 
Josephus, and by some of the early Christian writers, we 
shall adopt it as our guide in describing more minutely the 
particular parts of the country. In so doing we shall begin 
with Peraea, or the region beyond the Jordan, then pro- 
ceed to the districts west of the Jordan, passing from north 
to south : 1. Galilee, 2. Samaria, 3. Judea. This name 
was used to denote, sometimes the whole region beyond the 
Jordan, sometimes a particular district of that region. In 
the former sense it included the districts of Trachonitis, 
Ituraea, Gaulonitis, Auranitis, Batansea, Persea proper, as 
well as the greater part of Decapolis. Trachonitis derived 
its name from two remarkable mountains called by the 
Greeks Trachones. It extended northward to the 
district of Damascus aud southward to the city of 
Bostra. It is bounded on the west by Gaulonitis and on 
the east by Auranitis and the desert of Arabia. The greater 
part of Trachonitis was not strictly within the bounds of 
Palestine ; it is, nevertheless, a proper subject to the sacred 
description, as it is mentioned in Luke (3:1) as a part of 
the tetrarchy of Philip, to whom it was left by his father, 
Herod the Great. Herod himself had obtained it together 
w T ith all the northern parts of Perrea from the Romans on 
condition of his extirpating the robbers by whom it was 
infested. A part of Trachonitis stretching from Damascus 
westward was subject during the reign of the latter Syrian 
kings to Lysanias, an independent chief, who resided at Abila. 
This region is called Abilene in St. Luke (3:1). 

Ituraea was so called from Jetur,one of the sons of Ishmael 
(Gen. 25:15 ; 1 Chron. 1:31), by whose descendants it was 
once inhabited in the time of Jotham, king of Judah. An 
attack was made upon this people by the tribes of Reuben 
and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh residing beyond 
the Jordan, who took possession of the lands and obtained 
much spoils and a great number of captives. 1 Chronicles 



186 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



5:19. Now, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius 
Csesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea and Herod 
being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch 
of Itursea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias 
the tetrarch of Abilene. Gaulonitis, so called from the 
ancient city of Golan (Deut. 4:43; Joshua 20:8 ; 21:27), 
was the northwestern part of the old kingdom of Bashan. 
It is bounded on the north by Mount Hermon, on the east 
by Auranitis, on the south by the brook Jarmuk, and on 
the west by the sea of Tiberias ; a part of this region still 
bears the name of Tolan. Auranitis, so called from Hau- 
ran (Ezekiel 47:16-18), and was bounded on the west by 
Trachonitis, on the south by Batansea, and on the east by 
the desert; it is now called Hauran. Batansea was the 
southern part of the old kingdom of Bashan, reaching 
southward to the brook Jabbok. A part of the region still 
bears the corrupted name of Et Bottein. Persea properly 
so-called was very nearly the same with the old land of 
the Ammonites, afterwards called Gilead. It lay like a 
peninsula between three streams, being bounded on the 
north by Jabbok, on the south by the Arnon, on the west 
by the Jordan. Decapolis, a Greek word said to signify 
the ten cities, which is mentioned in Matthew (4:25) 
and Mark (5:20), does not denote a district of country, but 
ten eletached cities scattered through an extensive region. 
It is not altogether certain what ten cities went under this 
name. The most probable enumerated is as follows : Scy- 
thopolis, Hippo, Gadara, Dion, Pelea, Gerasa, Philadel- 
phia, Kanatha, Capitolias and Raphana. Only one of these, 
viz.: Scythopolis, was west of the Jordan, so that all the 
rest were within the limits of Peraea. Most of them in 
early times belonged to the half tribe of Manasseh, but 
after the return from captivity the Jews did not take pos- 
session of them. In the time of Christ they were said to 
be chiefly inhabited by Greeks. The places situated within 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



187 



the limits of Persea, taking the widest sense, which is 
mentioned in the Scripture, are the following : Csesarea 
Philippi, near the foot of Mount Hermon, in the vicinity 
of the grotto, in which the river Jordan was supposed to 
rise. The (now called Negro) Amorites are a people de- 
scended from Emer, the fourth son of Canaan, Ham's son. 
Genesis 10:16. They first peopled the mountains west of 
the Dead Sea, near Hebron, but afterward extended their 
limits and took possession of the finest provinces of Moab 
and Ammon on the east, between the brook Jabbok and 
Arnon. Numbers 13:29; 21:21-31; Joshua 5:1 ; Judges 
11:13. Moses took this country from Sihon, king of the 
(now called Negro) Amorites. The land which the Amor- 
ites possessed on this side of the Jordan was given to the 
tribe of Judah, and those beyond the Jordan to the tribes 
of Reuben and Gad. The name of the (Negro) A_morites 
is often taken in Scripture for the now called Canaanites 
(Negro) in general. Genesis 15:16; Amos 2:9. Seethe 
Canaanite by the expression : Thy father was an Amorite 
(called Negro) and thy mother a (now called Negro) Hit- 
tite. Ezekiel 16:3. And God reminded the Jews that 
they were naturally no more worthy of divine favor than 
the worst of the heathen of the Canaanites (now called Ne- 
groes). 

This grotto was regarded by heathen as sacred tt> 
their god Pan, hence the city went also by the name of 
Phaneas, and is at this very time called Banias. The place 
derived its name of Csesarea Philippi from Augustus 
Csesar, to whom there was a temple consecrated here, and 
for Philippi, the son of Herod the Great, who built the 
city. This city is mentioned twice under this name in the 
New Testament (Matt. 16:13; Mark 8:27) in two different 
accounts of the same occurrence. In the neighborhood of 
this city the conversation passed between Jesus and his 
disciples in which the Apostle Peter confessed that he was 



188 



THE EEYEALED WORD OF GOD. 



the Son of God. It is a very old tradition that the woman 
whom Christ healed of an issue of blood was a native of 
Csesarea Philippi and that she erected a brazen monu- 
ment iu that city in token of her gratitude. Matthew 9:20- 
22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43:48. It is said from the 
time of Constantine the Great Caesarea Philippi was a 
bishop's see, subject to the Patriarch of Antioch. It was 
said to have contained two hundred houses and is chiefly 
inhabited by Turks. 

Bethsaida, a village on the east bank of the Jordan near 
the point where that river enters the sea of Tiberias, 
was enlarged by the Tetrarch Philip into a city and re- 
ceived the name of Julias in honor of Julia, the daughter 
of Augustus Caesar; in the New Testament, however, it is 
called by the old name of Bethsaida. 

To the wilderness near this city Jesus retired after the 
death of John the Baptist, and there fed five thousand per- 
sons by a miracle. Luke 9:10-17. There was another 
Bethsaida, west of Jordan, of which we shall speak about 
hereafter. We turn also to Phut or Put, a son of (the now 
called Negro) Ham (Gen. 10:6), whose posterity is named 
with Cush, Ham\s son, and Ludim as serving in Egyptian 
armies and as a part of the hosts of Gog. Jer. 46:9; 
Ezekiel 27 : 10 ; 30 : 5 ; 38 : 5 ; Nah. 3:9. In several of the 
passages Phut is said to be translated Libyans. Josephus 
identifies them with the Mauritanians in Northern Africa 
towards the west. See Libya. Golan appears to have been 
a considerable city, as it gave name to a district. Nothing, 
however, has been written of its description except that it 
was in the bounds of the old kingdom of Bashau, for 
which reason it is said to always have been called in the 
Old Testament, Golan in Bashan. It was one of the places 
allotted to the Levites, and also one of the cities of refuge. 
Deut. 4: 43; Josh 20 : 8 ; 2 1 : 27 ; 1 Chron. 6:71. Unto the sons 
of Gershon were given, out of the family of the half tribe 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



189 



of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, and Ashta- 
roth with her suburbs. Edrei Ashtaroth was the royal city of 
the old kingdom of Bashan. Respecting this and the 
town of Jair Gadara, the metropolis of Persea, and a 
fortified city: It was situated southwest of Ashtaroth, be- 
yond the brook Jarmuk. It was in the form of a triangle, 
and now lies in ruins, the pavements of some of its great 
streets being still visible. It has been wholly deserted on 
the account of scarcity of water in the vicinity. They had 
famous medicinal warm springs, said to be frequented by 
multitudes of individuals from the surrounding country in 
this region. Adjacent to this city, i. e., in the country of 
the Gadarenes, Christ healed two men possessed with un- 
clean spirits which he suffered to enter into the herds of 
swine. Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26; Matt, 8:28. 

Bozrah, called by the Greeks and the Romans Bostra, 
stood about twenty-four Roman miles from Edrei. It is 
commonly spoken of in the Old Testament (Gen. 36 :33; 
Isa. 34 : 6 ; 63 : 1 ; Amos 1:12; Jer. 49 : 13-22) as the capi- 
tal city of Edom. But since Jeremiah mentions it (48 : 24) 
as a city of the Moabites, it is said to be taken from the 
children of Amnion by the Edomites, and afterwards from 
them by the Moabites, who kept possession of it. In later 
times it was said to have been a bishop's see, and afterwards 
a stronghold of the Nestoriaus, though it is said to be in 
ruins. It has been stated to be the largest place in Hauran 
or Auranitis. I notice that Jabesh-Gilead was situated on 
a small brook still called Jabes, which empties into the 
Jordan. In the time of the judges all of the inhabitants 
of Jabesh, except four hundred virgins, were put to death 
because they would not join with the rest of Israel in the 
expedition against Benjamin. Judges 21:8-14; 1 Sam. 
11:1; 31:12; 2 Sam. 2:4; 21:12. Well, the place, how- 
ever, was not deserted, for we read (1 Sam. 11 : 1-4) of 
Saul delivering the inhabitants of Jabesh from Nahash, the 



190 



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king of the Ammonites, who required that their right eyes 
should be thrust out, for which benefit they showed their 
gratitude by rescuing the bodies of Saul and Jonathan 
when exposed by the (now called Negro) Philistines. 1 
Sam. 31:8-13. 

Mahanaim and Lodebar mentioned in 2 Samuel (9:4-5 ; 
17:27) were said not to be far from Mahauiam, the (now 
called Negro) town of antiquity. Canaan, the son of (the 
uow called Negro) Ham and the grandson of Noah (Gen. 
9:18) his numerous posterity, seems to have occupied Zidon 
first, and thence spread into Syria and Canaan. Gen. 
10:15-19; 1 Chron. 1:12-16. The Jews believed that he 
was implicated with his father in the dishonor done to 
Noah. But Noah could not determine a curse of what God 
had blessed, although he could have said this in words and 
did pronounce that sentence (Gen. 9:20-27) which is said 
to be the occasion of the curse under which men have said 
that he and his posterity suffered. Joshua 9:23; 2 Chron. 
8:8. The land peopled by (the now called Negro) Canaan 
sind his posterity, and afterwards taken by the Hebrews 
or given to them, has at different times or periods been 
called by various names either from its inhabitants or 
some circumstances connected with its history the land of 
Canaan (the Negro) from Canaan the son of Ham, who di- 
vided it among his sons, each of whom became the head of 
-a numerous tribe and ultimately of a distinct people. Gen. 
10:15-20; 11:31. This we find did include the land at first 
east of the Jordan, the land of promise (Heb. 11:9), from 
the promise said to have been given to Abraham, that his 
posterity should possess it. The reader may see how many 
changes the (now called Negro) land and cities bore before 
he was entirely overthrown. Gen. 12:7; 13:15. These be- 
ing termed Hebrews, the region in which they dwelt was 
called the land of the Hebrews (Gen. 40:15); the land of 
Israel, from the Israelites or posterity of Jacob having set- 



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191 



tied there. This name is of frequent occurrence in the 
Old Testament ; it comprehended all that tract of ground 
on each side of the Jordan which God give for an inheri- 
tance the Hebrews. At a later age this term was often 
restricted to the territory of the ten tribes. Ezekiel 
27:17. 

The Land of Judah. — This at first comprised only the 
region which was allotted to the tribe of Judah. After 
the separation of the ten tribes, the land which belonged 
to Judah and Benjamin, who formed a separate kingdom, 
was distinguished by the appellation of the land of Judah 
or Judea, which latter name the whole country retained 
during the existence of the second temple, and under the 
dominion of the Romans the Holy Land. This name ap- 
pears to have been used by the Hebrews after the Babylon- 
ish captivity. Zech. 2:13. 

Palestine (Ex. 15:14), name derived from the Philistines 
(Negro now called) who migrated from Ham or Egypt, 
and having expelled the aboriginal inhabitants settled 
on the borders of the Mediterranean. Their name 
was subsequently given to the whole country (the 
now called Negro), who I attempted to show to the 
world, though they in fact possessed the whole of that 
part. By the ancient writers, the Holy Land has been 
variously termed Palestine, Syria, and Phoenicia. Canaan 
was bounded on the west by the Mediterranean Sea, north 
by Mount Lebanon and Syria, east by Arabia Deserta and 
south by Edom and the desert of Zin and Paran. Its ex- 
treme length was about one hundred and eighty miles, and 
its average width about sixty-five miles. Its general form 
and dimensions, it is said, Coleman has well compared 
to those of New Hampshire. At the period of David, 
vast tributary regions were, for a time, annexed to the 
Holy Land (the now called Negro). These included the 
bounding nations on the east, far into Arabia Deserta, 



192 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



thence north to Tiphsah on the Euphrates, with all Syria 
between Lebanon and the Euphrates, on the south it in- 
cluded Edoni and reached the Red Sea at Ezion Geber. The 
(now called Negro) laud of Canaanites has been variously 
divided. Under Joshua it was apportioned out to the 
twelve tribes. Under Rehoboam it was divided into two 
kingdoms, of Israel and Judah. It afterwards fell into the 
hands of the Babylonians, the Greeks, the Syrians and 
the Romans. During the time of our Savior, it was un- 
der the dominion of the last mentioned people, and was 
divided into five provinces : Galilee, Samaria, Judea, 
Penea and Idumea. Persea was again divided into seven 
cantons: Abilene, Trachonitis, Ituraea, Gaulouitis, Bata- 
nsea, Persea and Decapolis. At the present it is said that 
Palestine is subject to the Sultan of Turkey, under whom 
the pashas of Acre and Gaza govern the seacoast, and 
the pasha of Damascus the interior of the country. 

The surface of the land of (the now called Negro) 
Canaan is beautifully diversified with mountains and 
plains, and rivers and valleys. The principal mountains 
are the Lebanon, Carmel, Tabor, Hermon, Gilead and the 
Mount of Olives. The plains of the Mediterranean, of 
Esdraelon, and of Jericho. The (now called Negro) 
towns were the scene of many important events. The chief 
streams are the Jordan, the Arnon, the Sihor, the Jabbok, 
and the Kishon. The lakes are the Asphaltites or Dead 
Sea, the Lake of Tiberias or Sea of Galilee, and Lake Me- 
rom. These are elsewhere described, each in its own 
place. The general features of the country may here be 
briefly described. The northern boundary is at the lofty 
mountains of Lebanon and Hermon. Some peaks are 
said to be ten thousand feet high. Around the base of 
Mount Hermon are the various sources of the Jordan. 
This river passes through Lake Merom and the Sea of 
Galilee, flows south with innumerable windings into the 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



193 



Dead Sea. Its valleys are deeply sunk and from its source 
to the Dead Sea it has a descent of two thousand feet. The 
country between the Jordan, the valley and the Mediter- 
ranean Sea is in general an elevated tableland, broken up 
by many hills and by numerous deep valleys, through 
which the wintry torrents flow into the Jordan and the 
sea. The tableland of Galilee may be nine hundred or 
one thousand feet above the Mediterranean. In Lower 
Galilee we find the great and beautiful plain of Esdraelon, 
extending from Mount Carmel and Acre on the west to 
Tabor and Gilboa, and even to the Jordan, on the east. 
From this plain the land again rises towards the south, 
Mount Gerizim being 2,300 feet, Jerusalem 2,400 feet, 
and Hebron 2,600 feet above the sea. On the seacoast 
below Mount Carmel a fertile plain is found. Towards 
the south it becomes gradually wider and expands at last 
into the great desert of Paran. From this plain of the 
seacoast the ascent to the high land of the interior is by 
a succession of natural terraces; while the descent to the 
Jordan, the Dead Sea and Edom is abrupt and precipitous. 
The country beyond the Jordan is mountainous — a rich 
grazing land with many fertile valleys. Still farther east 
is the high and desolate plateau of' Arabia Deserta. 

The soil and climate of the (now called Negro) Canaan- 
ites' land were highly favorable. The heat was not ex- 
treme except in the deep river beds, and on the seacoast, 
.and the climate was in general mild and healthful. The 
variations of the sunshine, clouds and rains, which with 
us extend throughout the year, are in Palestine confined 
chiefly to the winter or rainy season. The autumnal rains 
usually commence in the latter part of October, and soon 
after the first showers wheat and barley are sown. Rain 
falls more heavily in December, and continues through 
with less frequency until April. From May to October no 

13 



194 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



rain falls. The cold of winter is not severe, and the- 
ground does not freeze. Snows a foot or more deep some- 
times occur, and there are frequent hailstorms in winter. 
The barley harvest is about a fortnight earlier than the 
wheat, and both are earlier in the plains than on the high 
lands. Altogether the grain harvest extends from April 
to June. The first grapes ripen in July, but the vintage 
is not over until September. In this month and October 
the heat is great. The ground becomes dry and parched. 
Verdure has long before disappeared. Pools and cisterns 
begin to dry up and all nature, animate and inanimate, 
looks forward with longing for the return of the rainy 
season. 

The soil of Canaan was highly productive. The pre- 
vailing rock is a chalk limestone, abounding in caverns. 
It readily formed and was covered with a rich mould, 
which produced, in the various elevations (the climate 
so remarkably grouped together in that small region of the 
world), an unequalled variety of the fruits of the ground. 
Olives, figs, vines, and pomegranates grew in abundance. 
The hills were clothed with flocks and herds, and the val- 
leys were covered with corn. 

The (now called Negro) land of promise was currently 
described as flowing with milk and honey, yet the glowing de- 
scription given by Moses (Deut. 8:7-9) and the statements of 
history as to the vast population formerly occupying it, are 
in striking contrast with its present aspect of barrenness and 
desolation. The curse brought down by the unbelief of 
the Jews still blights their unhappy laud. Long ages of 
warfare and misrule have despoiled and depopulated it. Its 
hills, once terraced to the summit, and covered with luxu- 
riant grain, vines, olives and figs, are now bare rocks. Its 
early and latter rains, once preserved in reservoirs and con- 
ducted by winding channels to water the ground in the 
seasons of drouth, now flow off unheeded to the sea. The 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



195 



land, stripped of its forests, lies open to the sun, which now 
scorches where it once fertilized, and yet some parts of 
Palestine still show an astonishing fertility, and wherever 
the soil is cultivated it yields an hundredfold. Indian corn 
grows there eleven feet high, and grapes are still produced 
that almost rival the clusters of Esheol. Intelligent trav- 
elers agree in confirming the statement of Scripture as to 
ancient fertility. See Hebrews. 

Judean Conquest of Canaan. — Various arguments have 
been adduced to justify the conquest of Canaan and 
the extermination of the (now called Negro) inhabit- 
ants by the Israelites, one that the land had been allotted 
to Ham and his sons after the flood ; that the sons 
of Ham were usurpers ; that they first assaulted the 
Jews ; that Abraham had taken possession of the land 
ages before. It was said that the (now called Negro) Ca- 
naanites were akin to the Egyptians, and implicated in 
their guilt and punishment as oppressors of the Hebrews. 
Whatever justice there may be in any of these reasons, 
they are not those which the Bible assigns. The only true 
warrant of the Jews was the special command of the Lord 
of All. They were impressively taught that the wickedness 
of those nations was the reason of their punishment, which 
the forbearance of God had long delayed, and which was 
designed as a warning to them and to all mankind 
against idolatry and its kindred sins. It was these sins 
that the Jews were to abhor and to exterminate. They 
were to act as agents of God's justice, and not for the 
gratification of their own avarice, anger or lust, the 
spoil and the captives being all devoted to destruction. 
The narrative of the conquest is given in Numbers 1:4 ; 
Joshua, and Judges 1. 

The (now called Negro) Canaanites were not wholly 
destroyed, many of them escaped to other lands, and 
fragments of almost all the nations remained in Judea, 



196 



THE EEVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



subject to the Israelites, but snares to their feet and 
thorns in their side. It must be observed also that full 
notice was previously given them to quit their forfeited 
possessions. A solemn writ of ejectment had been is- 
sued by the Great Proprietor, and if they resisted they 
incurred the consequence. 

The (now called Negro) Canaanites are the descend- 
ants of Canaan, the son of (the now called Negro) Ham. 
Their tirst habitation was in the land of (the Negro) 
Canaan, so-called, where they multiplied extremely, and 
by trade and war acquired great riches, and sent out 
colonists all over the islands and coasts of the Mediter- 
ranean. When the measure of their idolatries and 
abominations was completed God delivered their country 
into the hands of the Israelites, who conquered it under 
Joshua. See the previous article. 

The following are the principal tribes of the (now 
called) Negro said to be mentioned. The (Negro) Hi- 
vites, so-called, dwelt in the northern part of the country, 
at the foot of Mount Hermon, or Antilebanon, accord- 
ing to Joshua (11:3), where it is related that they, along 
with the united forces of Northern Canaan, were de- 
feated by Joshua. They were not, however, entirely 
driven out of their possessions. Judges 3:3 ; 2 Samuel 
24:7 ; 1 Kings 9:20. The (Negro) Hivites were also in 
Middle Palestine (Genesis 34:2; Joshua 19:1-8, 11:19). 
The (Negro) Canaanites, so called in a restricted sense, 
inhabited partly the plain on the west side of the 
Jordan, and partly the plains on the west coast of the 
Mediterranean Sea (Numbers 13:29; Joshua 11:3). The 
(Negro) Girgashites, so called, dwelt between the Ca- 
naanites and the (Negro) Jebusites, so-called, as may be 
inferred from the order in which they are mentioned in 
Joshua (24:11). The (Negro) Jebusites had possession 
of the hill country around Jerusalem and of that city 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



197 



itself, of which the ancient name was Jebus (Joshua 15: 
8-63; 18:28). The Benjamites, to whom this region 
was allotted, did not drive out the (Negro) Jebusites, 
so called (Judges 1:21). David first captured the cita- 
del of Jebus (2 Samuel 5:6). As for the (now called 
Negro) Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the 
children of Judah could not drive them out, "but the 
(Negro) Jebusites, so called, dwell with the children of 
Judah at Jerusalem unto this day." The (Negro) Am- 
orites (now called) inhabited, in Abraham's time, the 
region south of Jerusalem, on the west side of the Dead 
Sea. Genesis 14:7. At a later period they spread them- 
selves over all the mountainous country which forms the 
southeastern part Of Canaan (the so called Negro) and 
which was called from them, the mountain of the Am- 
orites, and afterwards the mountain of Judah. Deu- 
teronomy 1:19 ; Numbers 13:29; Joshua 11:3. On the 
east side of the Jordan " also, they had before the time 
of Moses," founded two kingdoms, that of Bashan, 
which has already been mentioned, in the north, and 
another bounded at first by the Jabbok in the south. But 
under (the Negro) King Sihon they crossed the Jabbok 
and took from the Ammonites and Moabites all the 
country between the Jabbok and the Anion. So that 
this latter stream now became the southern boundary of 
the (so called Negro) Ammonites. Numbers 21:13; 24: 
26; 32:33; Deuteronomy 4:46-47 ; 31:4. 

Of this last tract the Israelites took possession. After 
their victory over (the so called Negro) Sihon, king of the 
Amorites, the (now called Negro) Hittites, or children of 
Heth, according to the report of the spies (Nam. 1:29), 
dwelt among the (so called Negro) Amorites in the moun- 
tainous district of the south, afterwards called the moun- 
tain of Judah. In the time of Abraham they possessed 
the city of Hebron, and the patriarch purchased from them 



198 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



the cave of Machpelah as a sepulchre. Gen. 23:25; 9:10. 
And after the Israelites entered Canaan the (so called Ne- 
gro) Hittites seem to have moved farther northward. 

The country around Bethel is called the land of the 
(called Negro) Hittites. Judges 1:26. The (so called Ne- 
gro) Perizzites were found in various parts of Canaan. 
The name signifies the inhabitants of (so called Negro) 
plains, from their original abode. According to Gen. 13: 
5-7, they dwelt with the (now called Negro) Cauaanites, 
between Bethel and Ai, according to Gen. 34:30. This 
was in the vicinity of Shechem; and Jacob said to Simeon 
and Levi: Ye have troubled me to make me stink among 
the inhabitants (so called Negro) of the land among the 
Canaanites and the (so called Negro) Perizzites, and I 
being few in number, they shall gather themselves together 
against me, and slay me, and I shall be destroyed ; I and 
my house. And they said : Should he deal with our sister 
i\s with an harlot ? 

Besides these seven tribes there were several others of 
the same parentage of the Hamite descendants (the now 
called Negro) dwelling north of Canaan. These were the 
(so called Negro) Arkites, the Arvadites (now called 
Negroes), the Hamathites (so called Negroes), and the 
(Negroes) Zemarites. There were also several other tribes 
of divers origin within the bounds of Canaan destroyed 
by the Israelites, such as the Anakim, the Amalekites and 
the Rephai mites or giants. 

I see Penuel, their tower, which Gideon broke down 
(Judges 8:8-17), was built upon the spot where Jacob saw 
God, face to face, and to which he gave the name of Peniel, 
i. e., the face of God. Gen. 32:30. Jeroboam, the first 
king of Israel, rebuilt the place. 1 Kings 12:25. Suc- 
coth, or the booths, was a city of Gad (Joshua 13:27) erect- 
ed on the spot where Jacob built him a house and made 
booths for his cattle on his return from Mesopotamia. Gen. 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



199 



33:17. The inhabitants of this city, as well as those of 
Penuel, refused to supply Gideon with provisions, and were 
likewise punished by him on his return. Near Suecoth 
the vessels for Solomon's temple were cast. 1 Kings 7:46; 
Judges 8:15. 

I will also mention some of the (now called Negro) 
towns and cities of antiquity, having named some of them 
already. I give you the names : Ramoth Gilead, Beth 
Nimrah, Jazer, Elealeh, Heshbon, Baal-meon, Medeba, 
Kirjathaim, Dibon, Aroer, Jahaz; Bethabara, or the place 
of passage, a ford on the Jordan, is mentioned (John 1:28) 
as the place where John was baptizing at first, beyond the 
Jordan (10:40). The Bethbara mentioned in Judges 7:24 
is said to be a contraction for Bethabara. Shittim, or 
Abel-shittim, one of the places where the Israelites so- 
journed so long before they entered (the now called Negro) 
Canaan or the Holy Land. It was situated on the east 
bank of the Jordan, opposite to the (now called Negro) 
city of Jericho. Num. 25:1; 33:48-49; Mich. 6:5. It 
belonged first to the Moabites, and afterwards to the tribe 
of Reuben. From this place Joshua sent two spies' to the 
city Jericho. Joshua 2:1. Beth-Jesimoth, or the house 
of the desert, which is mentioned with Abel-shittim in 
Numbers 33:49, situated on the eastern shore of the Dead 
Sea (Joshua 12:3), is southeast from Jericho. It passed 
from the possession of the Moabites into that of the tribe 
of Reuben, but when the latter was carried into captivity 
by the Assyrians the Moabites reigned in possession of it, 
for which reason it is mentioned among the cities of Moab. 
Ezek. 25:9. 

Bezer, one of the Levite cities, and also a city of refuge, 
stood within the bounds of Reuben. Joshua 20:8 ; 21:36; 
Deut. 4:43. I cannot find the precise situation. Kedemoth 
was also one of the Levite cities within the limits of the 
tribe of the Reubenites. Joshua 13:18; 21:37; 1 Chron. 



200 THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



6:79. From the wilderness of Kedemoth, i. e., in the 
neighborhood of Kedemoth, Moses sent messengers to (the 
now called Negro) Sihon, king of the Amorites (Negroes), 
to obtain permission to pass through his territories (Deut. 
2:26). Mephaath, which is mentioned in connection with 
Kedemoth and Bezer. Joshua 13:18; 21:37; 1 Chron. 
6:79. In later times it passed into the possession of the 
Moabites. Jer. 48:21. 

Sibmah was not far from Heshbon (the now called Ne- 
gro town). At that time it belonged to Reuben, but after 
the captivity was retaken by the Moabites. Joshua 12:19 ; 
Isaiah 16:8-9; Jer. 48:32. The surrounding region 
abounded in wine. Nebo, in the neighborhood of Mount 
Nebo, now said to be called Mount Attarus, derived its 
name from an idol of that name, to whom there was a tem- 
ple consecrated there. Isaiah 46:2. It was taken by the 
tribe of Reuben from the Moabites (Num. 32:38), and re- 
taken by the latter. Isaiah 15:2; Jer. 48;l-22. There 
was another place of the same name in the tribe of Benja- 
min. Ezra 2:29; Neh. 7:33. 

The name Galilee was given to the northern part of the 
land of Israel, west of Jordan. The region so called was 
bounded on the north by Antilibanus, on the east by the 
Jordan and the Sea of Galilee, on the south by a line drawn 
from the plain of Esdraelon, through the brook Kishon and 
Mount Tabor to Scythopolis on the Jordan, and on the- 
west by a tract of seacoast reaching from Carmel to Tyre,, 
and belonging to Phoenicia (the so called Negro country). 
This province was divided into Upper and Lower Galilee, 
the former lying to the north and the latter to the south, 
in Upper Galilee. There settled, at an early period, many 
emigrants from Syria, Phoenicia, and Arabia, not professing 
the Jewish religion, for which reason it is called in Isaiah 
Galilee of the Gentiles (9:1). 

The whole of Galilee is said to be less than Judea, and 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



201 



not much larger than Samaria, being but twenty leagues 
long and about ten broad. From the words of Christ 
(Luke 13:3-3), " I must walk [or travel] to-day and to-mor- 
row, and the day following," some have inferred that the 
part of Galilee where Christ was at that time was a distance 
of three days' journey from Jerusalem, the Jebusites' (now 
called Negro) city, or Jebus. The whole of Galilee, but 
especially the part contiguous to the Sea of Tiberias, is de- 
scribed by travelers as a country very rich and luxuriant,, 
though it is no longer cultivated with the same zeal and 
diligence as in former times. On the division of Palestine 
or the (so-called Negro) Holy Land among the twelve 
tribes, Galilee fell to the lot of Issachar, Asher, Zebulun 
and Napthali. In the reign of Pekah, king of Israel, the 
Jewish inhabitants were carried into captivity by Tiglath 
Pileser, king of Assyria. Luke 15:29. Those who availed 
themselves of the permission given by Cyrus to return to 
their own land for the most part settled in Judea. Some, 
however, settled in Galilee among the foreigners and Gen- 
tiles who had been planted there by the Assyrians, and' 
amalgamated with them. This mixed race, however, was* 
always regarded with aversion and contempt by the purer 
Hebrews of Judea. This is said to explain such expressions- 
as the following: " Can there any good thing come out of 
Nazareth?" John 1:46. " Search and look, for out of 
Galilee ariseth no prophet." John 7:52. " And they were 
all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, 
are not all these which speak Galileans?" Acts 2:7. The 
(so-called Negro) Cauaanite was present, too. The Gali- 
leans were also distinguished from the Jews, if we under- 
stand the Bible at all. These were the (now called Negro) 1 
Canaanites, who inhabited this land of Canaan. Hence 
the servant of Caiaphas said to Peter, " Thou art a Gali- 
lean, and thy speech agreeth thereto." Mark 14:70; Matt. 
26:73. As Galilee was the country where Joseph and Mary 



202 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



dwelt, and where Jesus was brought up and where he be- 
gan to teach, where he called his first disciples (Matthew 
4:13-23; Mark 1:39; Luke 4:44; 8:1; 23:5; Matthew 13:55; 
4:21; John 7:7); and where he commonly resided, Christ 
himself and his followers were called Galileans. Acts 1:11. 
And he denied it again, and a little after, they that stood 
by said again to the Apostle Peter the Canaanite, Surely 
thou art one of them, for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech 
agree th thereto (Matt. 10:4; Mark 3:18), which name was 
long continued as an expression of contempt among Jews 
and Gentiles. To Galilee' belonged the tract of land given 
by Solomon to Hiram, king of Tyre, containing twenty 
cities (1 Kings 9:11), to which Hiram gave the name of 
the laud of Cabul. This district was on the northwest 
border of Galilee, and extended as far north as Tyre. 

The most remarkable places of Galilee which are men- 
tioned in the Scriptures are as follows, beginning at the 
north : Dan is often mentioned in the Bible as the northern 
extremity of the land, and the place from which the alarm 
was given when the country was threatened with invasion 
by the Assyrians. Jeremiah 4:15-16; 8:16. It was origi- 
nally the (now called Negro) Sidonian colony, under the 
name of Laish or Lishern, and was situated not far to the 
west of Paneas or Oaesarea Philippi. The tribe of Dan? 
finding their allotted portion insufficient, a part of them 
emigrated to the northern frontier and seized upon Laish, 
to which they gave the name of Dan. Joshua 19:47; 
Judges 18:7. " Then the five men departed and came to 
Laish and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt 
careless, after the manner of the (now called Negro) Zidon- 
ians, quiet and secure, and there was no magistrate in the 
land that might put them to shame in anything, and they 
were far from the Zidonians (now called Negro tribes), 
and had no business with any man. And they came unto 
their brethren to Zorah," and Dan appears to have been 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



203 



from early times a seat of idolatrous worship. The Danite 
emigrants who took possession of it established there an 
image which they had stolen from Micah. Judges 18. 
And Jeroboam, when he made his golden calf to divert the 
attention of the people from the temple at Jerusalem, set 
up one in Bethel and the other in Dan. 1 Kings 12:28-29. 
The two extremities of his dominions are in Numbers. We 
read that the spies sent out by Moses searched the land 
from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob. This Rehob is 
said to be the same with Beth Rehob in the neighborhood 
of Dan (Judges 18:28), who, however, were unable to drive 
out the old inhabitants of the (now called Negro) Canaan- 
ites and the (so-called Negro) Zidonians. Judges 1:23-32; 
Joshua 19:30. But it would seem that there was another 
place of the same name at no great distance. Berothah is 
mentioned in Ezekiel (48:16) as one of the places situated 
on the northern frontier of the land of Canaan. Kedesh 
in Galilee in Mount Naphtali (Josh. 20:7), or Kedesh Naph- 
tali (Judges 4:6), so called to distinguish it from other 
places of the same name, was at the first the seat of the (now 
called Negro) petty kings enumerated by Joshua (12), and 
afterwards a Levite city and a city of refuge (Joshua 20:7; 
21:32) within the bounds of Naphtali, situated between Tyre 
and Csesarea Philippi. It was the residence of Barak 
(Judges 4:6), and in later times one of the first places laid 
waste by Tiglath Pileser. 2 Kings 15:29. The name Ke- 
desh signifies holy, which may account for the number of 
places so called. Hazor, situated east of Kedesh, was the 
seat of Jabin, one of the (so-called Negro) petty kings 
enumerated by Joshua (12:22), who appears from Joshua 
(11:10) to have been the head of all those kingdoms. Ac- 
cordingly he summoned several of the inferior chiefs to 
combine with him in resisting the invasion of the Hebrews. 
Joshua, however, conquered him completely, burnt Hazor 



204 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



and put the (now called Negro) inhabitants to the sword. 
Joshua 11:1-13. 

These are the (now called Negro) descendants from the 
Hamitic tribes. I see a hundred and twenty years later 
the ancient historians name another Jabin, king of Canaan, 
or the (Negro) Canaanites, who reigned in Hazor, the cap- 
tain of whose hosts was Sisera. Judges 4: 2. Poor, de- 
spised black-skin brother, lift up your drooping head and 
make your mark among the nations of the civilized world 
again as you once did, but fell, as all nations have and 
will, for your idolatry and disobedience. By him the chil- 
dren of Israel were oppressed until the Lord raised up 
Deborah and Barak to deliver them, who conquered Sis- 
era. 4 : 16. By Solomon Hazor was fortified (1 Kings 
9 : 15) as a defense against invasion, yet was one of the 
first places taken by Tiglath-Pileser. 2 Kings 15 : 29. 
And the hand of the children of Israel prospered and pre- 
vailed against Jabin, king of Canaan (the now called Ne- 
gro), until they had destroyed Jabin, king of the (Negro) 
Canaanites, so called. 

Harosheth of the Gentiles was said to be not far from 
Hazor. Here Sisera resided. Judges 4: 2. Here he 
mustered his troops before the battle (v. 13) and here he 
was pursued by the enemy after his defeat (v. 16). 

Achshaph was the capital of a petty kingdom (of the 
now called Negro) when Joshua invaded (the Negro) 
Canaan or Holy Land. Josh. 12: 20. It afterwards fell 
to the lot of the tribe of Asher. Josh. 19 : 25. Its precise 
situation is not given. Achzib was one of the cities with- 
in the bounds of Asher (v. 29) from which they were un- 
able to drive out the (old now called Negro) Canaanite 
inhabitants. Judges 1:31. It is now called Zib, and is 
situated on a hill near the seacoast north of Ptolemais. 
Another Achzib in Judah is mentioned. Josh. 15:44; 
Mich. 1 : 14. Accho was also one of the cities from which 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



205 



the tribe of Asher was unable to expel the Canaanites 
(Negroes now called). Judges 1: 31. In later times it was 
called Ptolemais from Ptolemy, king of Ham or Egypt, 
who seized upon it about 100 years before the birth of 
Christ. Under this name it is mentioned repeatedly in the 
Apocrypha, and once in the New Testament. Acts 21 :7. 
"And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came 
to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with 
them one day." The Emperor Claudius constituted Ptole- 
mais a Roman colony in the seventh century. It was 
conquered by the Saracens or Arabs in the eleventh century. 
It was in the hands of the Egyptian sultans and suf- 
fered many vicissitudes of fortune during the Crusades, 
which began about that time, being taken and retaken by 
the Christians and Mohammedans alternately, to both of 
whom it was important on account of its fine harbor. At 
the end of the twelfth century it became the seat of an order 
of knights called the Knights of St. John, who afterwards 
removed to Cyprus, then to Rhodes, and finally to Malta. 
From this circumstance the city was called by the French 
St. Jean d'Acre or St John of Acre, a corruption of the old 
name Accho ; at the end of the thirteenth century, when the 
Christians were driven out of the (now called Negro) Holy 
Land or Palestine by the Egyptians, this was the last place 
which they abandoned. Since that time it has never 
flourished as of old. There have been fifteen thousand in- 
habitants discovered by the modern travelers, and it is 
said to be surrounded with deep ditches and high walls, 
and is said to contain the ruins of many ancient edifices. 
It is situated on a high plain, encircled with mountains, 
that on the south side being Mount Carmel, already de- 
scribed. To the plain in which it stands and to the neigh- 
boring bay it gives its name. In our own times this place 
has been noted for the brave and successful defense of it 
by the Turks and English w T hen besieged by Bonaparte. 



206 



THE KEVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Jokneam of Carmel, i. e.,at the foot of Carmel, was another 
ODe of the thirty-one petty (now called Negro) principali- 
ties of the Canaanites which were destroyed by Joshua. 
12:22. It was within Zebulun, but at that time it be- 
longed to the Levites. Josh. 21 :34. It was situated south 
of Ptolemais, near the bay. Also Chiunereth or Cinnereth, 
a town of Naphtali (Josh. 19 : 35), was situated at the 
northwest extremity of the Sea of Galilee, to which it some- 
times lends its name. Josh. 11:2; 12 : 3. Capernaum, 
which is nowhere mentioned in the Old Testament, but 
repeatedly in the Gospels, is said by Matthew (4:13) to 
have been upon the seacoast in the borders of Zebulun 
and Nephtalim. Here Jesus spent, for the most part, 
the three years of his public ministry, for which reason 
it is called by Matthew his own city. 9:1. "And he 
entered into a ship and passed over and came into his 
own city, and there performed many wonderful works, 
and taught often in the synagogue." John 6 : 5-9. 
Here he healed Simon Peter the Canaanite's wife's 
mother (Matt. 8:14), the nobleman's son (John 4 : 47)? 
the centurion's servant (Matt. 8:56), and the ruler's 
daughter (9:23-25.) In the time of Christ this city was 
very flourishing by means of its fishery and commerce. 
It is now in ruins. Chorazin and Bethsaida, also men- 
tioned (Matt. 11: 21-24; Luke 10:13-15) as places where 
Jesus had wrought mighty works, were also situated on 
the Sea of Galilee, though their precise location is no 
longer known. Bethsaida was the residence of Andrew, 
Peter and Philip. Johu 1:44. In John (12:21) it is 
called Bethsaida of Galilee, to distinguish it from an- 
other Bethsaida beyond Jordan. Also Magdala, to 
which Christ retired after feeding the four thousand 
upon seven loaves. Matt. 15:39. It w T as situated on 
the Sea of Galilee, south of Capernaum. To this place 
belonged the woman mentioned, who is therefore called 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 20 T 

Mary Magdalene, i. e., Mary of Magdala. Still farther 
south, upon the same side of the lake, stands Tiberias, 
so called in honor of the Emperor Tiberius, by Herod 
Antipas, who built the place and made it the capital of 
Galilee. This is the Herod whom Luke calls tetrarch 
of Galilee, who beheaded John the Baptist (Matt. 14:3- 
11 ; Luke 13: 31; 3: 1) and who sought the life of Christ. 
Thus can be seen clearly that the (now called Negro) 
Jebus or Jebusites did once possess the same place where 
the Savior of mankind was born. As for the Jebusites r 
the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah 
could not drive them out. But the (Negro) Jebusites 
dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto 
this day. Josh. 15 : 63. 

We are taught that he resided in Tiberias himself, which 
may be the reason that the Savior never visited the place. 
When the Romans made war upon the Jews, this place sur- 
rendered without waiting for a siege. On account of this 
timely submission the Jews of Tiberias remained unmo- 
lested, and that city afterwards became a celebrated seat of 
Jewish learning. In early times Tiberias was said to be a 
bishop's see. In the seventh century it was taken by the 
Saracens, and though it passed into the hands of Christians 
at the time of the Crusades it returned to the possession of 
the Mohammedans near the end of the thirteenth century. 
It is now called Tiberia, and is said to be a considerable 
place. It was chiefly inhabited by Turks, though some 
Christian residents were there and several hundred fami- 
lies of foreign Jews, who are said to have enjoyed perfect 
religious liberty. The town is situated on a plain and sur- 
rounded by hills. It is excessively hot and very unhealthy. 

Cana of Galilee, where Jesus performed his first re- 
corded miracle (John 2:1-11) is said to have been a neat, 
though a poor village, a few miles north of Nazareth. It 
is now under the Turkish government, and is chiefly in- 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



habited by Christians. The inhabitants are said to point 
out a house to strangers as the very one in which Christ 
turned the water to wine, and also the ruins of a church 
built here by the Empress Helena, said to be nearly fif- 
teen hundred years old. Gath-hepher or Gittah-hepher, so 
called to distinguish it from other places called Gath, was 
the birthplace of the Prophet Jonah. 2 Kings 14:25. He 
restored the coast of Israel from the entering of (the now 
called Negro) Hamath (so called Negro city, the Hamitic 
people) unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of 
the Lord God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his 
servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet which was 
of Gath-hepher and belong to the tribe of Zebulun. Joshua 
19:13. It was said to be situated in the land of Hepher 
mentioned in 1 Kings 4:10. Naserab,now called Nazareth, 
where the mother of Jesus dwelt, and where he himself 
spent his early life, from which circumstance he derived the 
title of Jesus of Nazareth. Mark 16:6 ; Matt. 21:11 ; Luke 
24:19 ; John L46 ; Acts 2:22. It is situated to the south 
of Cana, partly in a valley and partly on the declivity of 
an adjacent hill; a hill that is said until this day to be pointed 
out on the south of Nazareth as the one from which the 
people of the place attempted to precipitate the Savior. 
Luke 4:29. After the expulsion of the Europeans from 
the (now called Negro) Holy Land about the end of the 
thirteenth century, this place gradually dwindled into 
insignificance until the year ,1620, so the ancient 
writers state, when the Roman Catholics obtained per- 
mission from the Emir of the Druses to rebuild the 
Church of the Annunciation which had fallen to ruins. 
From that time the town increased and is said to be 
one of the most important places in the pachalic of Acca. 

The Christian inhabitants of Nazareth enjoy a degree 
of toleration unknown elsewhere in Syria or the (now 
called Negro) Holy Land. In this place is said to be 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



209 



a Franciscan convent, rebuilt in 1730, and within its 
walls is the Church of the Annunciation, erected, it is said, 
upon the spot where Mary received from the angel the 
annunciation of the birth of Christ. Luke 1:31. This 
was the finest country church excepting that of the 
Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. On the south side of the 
town there was another church said to be built upon 
the site of the synagogue in which the Savior taught. 
Luke 4:16. And he came to Nazareth where he had 
been brought up, and as his custom was, he went into 
the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to 
read; and here, too, the people pretend to show the 
very house inhabited by Joseph and the well from which 
the Virgin Mary drank, so the ancient historians 
agree. The inhabitants of Nazareth are said £ to differ 
from the other people of the country, both in personal 
appearance and in speech. Daberath, a city of the Le- 
vites, in the land of Issachar, is said to be the same with 
the modern Dabury, at the foot of Mount Tabor 
(Joshua 19:12 ; 21:28), and a mile or two southwest of 
Nazareth are shown the ruins of Endor, a town belong- 
ing to Manasseh, but within the bounds of Issachar 
(Joshua 17:11), near which Barak defeated Sisera. 
Judges 4; Psalms 83:9-11. Here is said to have dwelt 
the woman that had a familiar spirit of whom Saul 
went to inquire when forsaken by the Lord. A cave is 
said to be pointed out to travelers as the one which 
she inhabited. 1 Sam. 28:6-25. And the city called 
Nain, at the gate of which Jesus raised the widow's 
son to life (Luke 7:10-15), is said to be a small village 
not far from Endor. Southward from Mount Tabor, 
inhabited by Jews, Mohammedans and Christians, and 
a little to the south of Nain, stood Shunem, another of 
the towns of Issachar. Joshua 19:18. Here the (now 

14 



210 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



called Negro) Philistines encamped before the battle in 
which Saul was slain. Here in later times dwelt the 
woman with whom Elisha lodged on his journey from 
Gilgal to Mount Carmel (2 Kings 4:8-37), and whose 
son he raised from the dead. The account of this mir- 
acle, given after Elisha's death by his servant, Gehazi, 
to the king, was the occasion of the restoration of the 
widow's land. 2 Kings 8:1-16. From this place too, 
came Abishag, for that reason called the Shunammite. 

1 Kings 1:3 ; 2:17-22. Aphek, another town of Issachar, 
near which the battle was fought in which Saul and 
Jonathan were slain, was situated on the plain of 
Jczreel or Esdraelon. 1 Samuel 29:1 ; 28:4. There was 
another Aphek in the tribe of Asher on the northern 
frontier of the (now called Negro) land of Canaan, near 
Mount Lebanon (Joshua 13:4; 19:30; Judges 1:30), in 
which quarter there is said to be, by the sacred histo- 
rians, a village called Apheka; the ruins are splendid. 
This is said to be the place mentioued in 1 Kings 20: 
26-34. Which of these Apheks is the one recorded in 
Joshua I cannot tell. 12:18. Megiddo was also a city 
of Manasseh within the bounds of Issachar, situated 
near the brook Kishon. Joshua 12:11-21. Solomon for- 
tified the place (1 Kings 9:15) and assigned it as the 
residence of one of his purveyors. 4:12. Two kings of 
Judah, Ahaziah and Josiah, died in battle at Megiddo. 

2 Kings 9:27; 23:29. 

Taanach is repeatedly mentioned in connection with 
Megiddo, very near to which it no doubt stood. It was 
within the bounds of Issachar, but assigned to the Manas- 
sites, who, however, were unable to expel the old (now 
called Negro) Canaanites, who inhabited the country. 
Judges 1:27. Afterwards it was then given to the Levites. 
Joshua 21:25; 12:21; 17:11; Judges 5:19; 1 Kings 4: 
12; 1 Chron. 7:29. " Neither did Manasseh drive out the 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



211 



inhabitants of Bethshean and her towns, nor the inhabitants 
of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and 
her towns, nor the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, 
nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns. But the 
(Negro now called) Canaanites would dwell in the land." 
All of these are the (now called Negro) towns in the time 
of antiquity before we were defeated by Shem and Japheth. 
" And it came to pass when Israel was strong that they 
put the (Negro) Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly 
drive them out." 

The name of Samaria was originally applied to a hill 
which Omri king of Israel bought from Shemer, and built 
a city upon it, which he also called Samaria. 1 Kings 16: 
24. This city became the capital of the kingdom of Israel. 
We find the name used, however, to denote a region of 
country (1 Kings 13:32 ; 2 Kings 17:24-26), in which 
sense it is constantly employed by the later ancient writers. 
The region bearing this name was bounded on the north 
by the plain of Esdraelon in Galilee, on the east by the 
Jordan, on the south by a district of Judea, and on the 
west by a strip of land belonging also to Judea and divid- 
ing Samaria from the sea. The most important places in 
Samaria which are mentioned by the sacred writers are the 
following : Bethshean, a town belonging to Manasseh within 
the bounds of Issachar (Joshua 17:11), from which, how- 
ever, the Manassites were unable to expel the now called 
Canaanites (Negroes) (12). Judges 1:27. In the time of 
Saul this place belonged to the (now called Negro) Philis- 
tines, as they exposed his body. 1 Samuel 3:10. After- 
wards, however, it became subject to the king of Judah, as 
it is included in Solomon's dominions. 1 Kings 4:12. 
Bethshean was situated on the borders of Galilee and 
Samaria upon the edge of the great plain of Jordan where 
the ground begins to rise from a level into mountainous 



212 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



elevations. The Greeks called it Scythopolis. It is now 
in ruins. 

Jezreel, a town of Issachar (Joshua 19:18), was situated 
on the plain of the same name. It was one of the places 
over which Ishbosheth, Saul's son, reigned after his father's 
death. 2 Samuel 2:9. Before the battle of Gilboa, in 
which Saul was slain, the Israelites encamped by a foun- 
tain in Jezreel. 1 Samuel 29:1. The battle took place 
at no great distance, so that the first news of the catas- 
trophe reached Jezreel. 2 Samuel 4:4. Ahab, king of 
Israel, and Joram, his successor, both resided in Jezreel. 
1 Kings 18:44-46; 21:1. At Jezreel Jezebel, the wife of 
Ahab, and Joram, his son, were slain by Jehu. 2 Kings 
9:33; 8:29; 9:15-24. 

Dothau, the place where Joseph was sold by his brethren 
(Genesis 37:17), and where the Syrian troops attempted to 
seize Elisha. 2 Kings 6:13-23. It was situated not far from 
Bethshean and Jezreel, at a narrow pass through the moun- 
tains of Gilboa leading into Judea. 

The city of Samaria was built by Omri, king of Israel, 
after the burning of the palace at Tirzah, on a hill which 
he purchased from a man named Shemer. 1 Kings 16:18- 
24. This city was the metropolis of the ten tribes, or the 
kingdom of Israel, as Jerusalem was of the kingdom of 
Judah. Thus we read in the books of the Kings that such 
and such persons reigned over Israel in Samaria. 1 Kings 
16:29'; 2 Kings 3:1; 14:23; 15:23. Here, too, they 
were buried. 1 Kings 22:37. Hence the language of 
Isaiah (7:8-9) : The head of Syria is Damascus, and the 
Ephraim head of Israel is Samaria. We learn from 2 
Kings 10:2 that Samaria was a fenced or fortified city. 
It was twice besieged by Benhadad, king of Syria, without 
success. 1 Kings 21:1-20; 2 Kings 6:24; 7:6-7. It 
was taken by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, after a siege of 
three years. 2 Kings 18:8-10. After this period it expe- 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



213 



rienced many vicissitudes, passing by turns through the 
hands of the Syrians and the Romans, but did not regain 
its ancient splendor until the time of Herod the Great, 
who enlarged and adorned it and increased the population 
by introducing sixteen thousand emigrants. Among the 
public edifices which he built there was a temple to Augus- 
tus Caesar, from which the city obtained the Greek name 
Sebaste, corresponding to the Latin Augusta. The city 
has now almost disappeared, only its ruins remaining. It 
was situated in a valley surrounded by hills. The soil was 
very rich, and is said to be rich until this day, and assidu- 
ously cultivated, so that a modern traveler observes that 
Samaria is now a mere garden. The ruins of a church 
are still visible, erected by the Empress Helena upon the 
spot where John the Baptist was supposed to have been 
beheaded, and his grave is said to be still pointed out to the 
traveler, with those of the Prophets Obadiah and Elisha, 
in a subterranean chapel. 

South of Samaria, between Mount Ebal and Mount 
Gerizim, stood Shechem or Sichem, one of the oldest 
cities in the (now called Negro) Holy Land or Pales- 
tine. It was a city in Jacob's time (Gen. 33:18), if not 
in Abraham's (12:6) and Jacob's. Come to Shalem, a 
city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, whom 
the (now called) Negro in the United States of America 
descended from. When he came from Padan-aram and 
pitched his tent before the city, and when Jacob re- 
turned from Mesopotamia, it was in the possession of 
Hamor, a (Negro called) Hivite prince. On the divi- 
sion of the land among the tribes, this city fell to Eph- 
rairn (Joshua 21:21), but was afterwards set apart for 
the Levites. Here Joshua assembled the people before 
his death and renewed the covenant between them and 
the Lord. Joshua 24. And after the death of Gid- 
eon Shechem became a seat of idolatrous worship, the 



214 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



people worshipping Baalberith there. Judges 8:33; 9: 
4-46. The people of Shechem resisted the usurpation of 
Abimelech, who therefore brought an array against it 
and took the city and slew the people that were therein 
and beat down the city and sowed it with salt. Judges 
9:45. It was rebuilt again, however. David mentions 
it. Psalms 60 : 6. And we read in the 1 Kings 
12:1 that all of Israel came to Shechem after 
the death of Solomon to make Rehoboam king. 
On his refusing, however, to accede to their re- 
quest, ten tribes chose Jeroboam for their sov- 
ereign, who fixed upon Shechem as his royal residence, 
and built, L e., and rebuilt, and adorned it. 12:25. On 
the return of the Jews from captivity the mixed race 
who inhabited Samaria desired to assist in the erection 
and participate in the privileges of the temple at Jeru- 
salem, but were refused. They consequently built a 
temple for themselves upon Mount Gerizim where, 
under the direction of a Jewish priest, Manasseh, they 
worshipped in strict observance of the law of Moses. 
John 4:20. This temple stood two hundred years and 
was finally destroyed before the birth of Christ. Some 
ancient writers place it 129 years b. c. In the New 
Testament Shechem is called Syehar. v. 5. By the Ro- 
mans it w T as said to be called Flavia Neapolis, in honor 
of the Emperor Flavius Vespasian. Neapolis has been 
corrupted by the Arabs into Nablus, which name it 
now bears. Its ruin is still a considerable place and its 
site is remarkably pleasant and productive in the vicin- 
ity. Travelers are still directed to the graves of Joseph, 
Joshua and Eleazar. So the ancient historian of sacred 
views declares. Joshua 24:29-33. Without the town is 
Jacob's well (John 4:56), so called because it is near the 
parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 
John 4:3. Genesis 48:22. Here the descendants of 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



215 



Joseph interred his bones according to his own request. 
Genesis 50 : 25. Joshua 24:32. And Gilgal where 
one of the (now called Negro) petty Canaanite kings 
resided (Joshua 12:23), was situated on the plain of 
Sharon in the neighborhood of Shechem besides the 
plains of Moreh. Deut. 11:30. There was another 
Gilgal in Judea. Thebes was situated northeast of 
Shechem, with which city it took part in its resisting 
the usurpation of Abimelech, who besieged the place 
and took it. But just as he was setting fire to a tower 
in which the inhabitants had taken refuge, a woman 
threw a piece of a millstone on his head and his armor- 
bearer slew him. Judges 9:50-54. Respecting the sit- 
uation of Luz. Judges 1:22-26. And the man went 
into the land of the (now called Negro) Hittites and 
built a city and called the name thereof Luz, which is 
the name thereof unto this day. Aruma and Asher, 
very little is now known of them. Judges 9:1-11; 2 
Kings 23:36; Joshua 17:7. Abel Meholah was the 
birthplace of Elisha, so the ancient historian says, and i s 
mentioned in the account of Gideon's victory over the 
Midianites. Judges 7:22. It was situated in the plain 
of Jordau, between Shechem and Bethshean. Near 
was the (now called Negro) town Zartanah, Zereda, 
or Zeredathah, the native place of Jeroboam, the first 
king of Israel (1 Kings 11:26), was situated on the west 
bank of the Jordan near Bethshean (1 Kings 4:12), and 
was directly opposite to Succoth. Between these places 
Solomon caused brazen vessels for the temple to be cast. 
1 Kings 7:46; 2 Chron. 4:17, Arnon, near to Salim, 
where John baptized after he left Bethabara or Beth- 
any. John 3:23. It was situated south of Bethshean 
in the plain of Jordan. The Salim mentioned in the 
verse just cited is said to be the same with that in Gen. 
14:18, as this situation would agree much better with 



216 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



the history than that commonly adopted, viz.: that the 
Salem there mentioned was Jerusalem. Lebonah, south 
of Shechem, on the western side of a delightful valley. 
Judges 21:19. And Shiloh, where Joshua set up the 
tabernacle and whence he sent surveyors to make a 
partition of the (now called Negro) land of Canaan. 
Joshua 18-51. It was situated between Lebonah and 
Bethel. Here all the children of Israel assembled sev- 
eral times a year to celebrate the festivals. On one of 
these occasions the men of Benjamin stole the daughters 
of the men of Shiloh. Judges 21. The tabernacle was 
afterwards removed to Gilgal, 1 Samuel 10:8; 11:15; 
15:33; Jeremiah 7:13-14; Psalms 78:58; 1 Kings 14:2. 
Shiloh was the residence of theTrophet Abijah. There 
are no relics so said to be visible now. Bethel was sit- 
uated between Shechem and Jerusalem. It was origi- 
nally called Luz. Genesis 28:19; 35:6; Joshua 18:1.3; 
Judges 1:23. But when Jacob had seen two visions of 
the Lord upon the spot he gave it the name of Bethel, 
or the house of God (Genesis 28:9-19; 35:1-15), and 
ever afterwards regarded it sacred. When the Hebrews 
invaded the ( now called Negro) Canaanites' land Bethel 
was the residence of the (so called Negro) petty king. 
Joshua 12:9. It was then assigned by Joshua to the 
tribe of Ephraim. But the (now called Negro) Canaan- 
ites regained and kept possession of it until at length 
the Ephraimites obtainedit through the treachery of one 
of the inhabitants just as he does at the present. And 
the tabernacle for a long time was stationed at Bethel. 
Judges 1:22-26; 20:27; 1 Samuel 10:3; Hosea j2:5. 
And after the death of Solomon Bethel belonged to the 
new kingdom of Israel and was selected by Jeroboam as 
one of the two places to be appointed for the worship 
of his golden calves. 1 Kings 12:28-33. 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



217 



CHAPTER XII. 

It may have been on account of its ancient reputation 
for superior sanctity ; in the reign of Jeroboam, Amaziah, 
the priest of Bethel, accused the Prophet Amos, who had 
been sent to denounce him of conspiracy against the king, 
in consequence of which he was expelled from Bethel. 
Amos 7:10-13. We read in 2 Kings (10:29) that Jehu, 
though he abolished the worship of Baal in his dominion, 
departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, 
who made Israel to sin, to-wit : The golden calves that 
were in Bethel and that were in Dau. Amos uses the 
phrase " coming to Bethel" to denote idolatry (4:4; 5:5), 
and the Prophet Hosea, thinking the place unworthy of its 
ancient name, the house of God, calls it Bethaven, of the 
house of iniquity. 5:8 ; 4:15 ; 10:5-8. There was an- 
other Bethaven, however, which is mentioned (Josh. 7:2) 
as being east of Bethel ; also a wilderness of Bethaven. 
Josh. 18:12; 1 Sam. 13:5. The threatening denounced 
against Bethel by Amos (3:14) was fulfilled by Josiah, 
king of Judah. 2 Kings 23:15. One of the priests, sent 
back from Assyria to teach the people the manner of the 
God of the land, took up his abode in Bethel. After the 
inhabitants of Bethel were carried into captivity colonists 
from Judah and Benjamin took possession of the place, 
who were themselves carried captive at a later period. 
The latter, however, or their descendants, returned and 
resumed their former possessions. Ezra 2:28; Neh. 7:32 ; 
11-31. 

Tirzah was the resideuce of the kings of Israel from Jero- 
boam, who removed thither from Shechem to Zimri, who, 
when besieged by Omri in his palace, to avoid captivity, 
set fire to the household and perished in the flames. 1 
Kings 16:18. Omri, his successor, built Samaria. The 



2L8 



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precise situation of Tirzah cannot be ascertained, but it is 
said to be within the bounds of Ephraim. When they had 
made an end of dividing the (now called Negro) land for 
inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave 
inheritance to Joshua, the son of Nun. Among them, ac- 
cording to the word or' the Lord, they gave him the city 
which he asked, even Timnath-Serah in Mount Ephraim, 
and he built the city and dwelt therein (Josh. 19:49, 50), 
and when he died they buried him in the border of his 
inheritance in Timnath-Serah, which is in Mount Ephraim 
on the north side of the hill of Gaash. The name is writ- 
ten Timnath-heres in Judges 2:9. Josh. 24:30. Two 
places of the name of Shamir are mentioned in Scripture, 
one in Mount Ephraim, where Tola the judge presided. 
Judges 10:1. The other in the mountains of Juclah. Josh. 
15:48. 

The city of Ephraim, mentioned in 2 Sam. 13:23; 
John 11:54. " Jesus, therefore, walked no more openly 
among the Jews, but went thence unto a country near to 
the wilderness into a city called Ephraim, and there con- 
tinued with his disciples." It was said to be situated in 
the desert of Bethaven, within the bounds of the tribe 
of Ephraim. It is not certain whether the Ephraim 
which Abijah, king of Judah, took from Jeroboam, 
king of Israel, was the same with that just men- 
tioned. 1 Chron. 13:19. Seirath, on Mount Ephraim, 
was the place to which Ehud fled after he had slain Eglon, 
king of Moab. Judges 3:26-27. The name Judea some- 
times denoted the whole land of Israel west of Jordan, 
sometimes the southern part of it. In the latter sense it 
was bounded on the north by Samaria, on the east by the 
Dead Sea, on the south by Arabia, and the west by the 
Mediterranean Sea. The territory of Judea on the sea- 
coast extended as far north as Ptolemais, in a narrow tract 
of land forming the western boundary of Samaria, and 



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219 



dividing that province from the sea of Judea compre- 
hended the territory of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and 
Simeon. 

It appears from a passage in the Apocrypha that in latter 
times a part of Samaria and Galilee was added to Judea. 
When Jerusalem was destroyed by the Chaldeans and the 
Jews carried captive into Babylon, the Idumeans took ad- 
vantage of their absence to seize upon the southwestern 
district of Judea, though they afterwards embraced the 
Jewish religion and amalgamated with the Jews. The dis- 
trict which they inhabited continued to be called Idumea. 
under which name it is mentioned in Mark (3:8): And 
from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and from beyond 
Jordan, and there about Tyre and Sidon. The name was 
given to the country from the (now called Negro) Sidon- 
iaus. And a great multitude when they had heard what 
great things he did came unto him. 

The following are the most important places mentioned 
in the Bible: Jericho, the city of palm trees (now called 
Negro). Deut. 34:3. It was situated six or eight leagues 
east of Jerusalem in the plain of Jordan, and was one of the 
oldest cities in the (so called Negro) Holy Land. It stands 
first among the (Negro now called) Canaanitish kingdoms 
enumerated by Joshua (12:9.), and was the first place 
attacked by the Israelites after passing the Jordan. When 
taken it was reduced to ashes and the inhabitants all de- 
stroyed with the exception of one family. Josh. 6:21-25- 
Notwithstanding the curse which Joshua pronounced upon 
the man who should rebuild Jericho : He shall lay the 
foundation thereof in his first-born, and in his youngest son 
shall he set up the gates of it (6:26), we soon find it again 
mentioned as a city in Judges (3:13) and 2 Samuel (10:4-5). 
The texts, however, may refer simply to the ruins of the 
old town, for we do not find the fulfillment of the prophecy 
recorded until the reign of Ahab, in whose days Hiel the 



220 



THE KEVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Bethelite built Jericho; he laid the foundation thereof in 
Abiram his first-born, and set up the gates thereof in his 
youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, 
which he spake by Joshua, the son of Nun. 1 Kings 
16:34. The city itself, however, seems to have flourished 
in the days of Elijah and Elisha. There was a school of the 
prophet here, and both of those men of God appear to have 
resided much at Jericho. In the neighborhood of this 
place was the spriug of the waters of which Elisha healed. 
2 Kings 2:19-22. The spring is said to be still pointed 
out to travelers, who describe the water as remarkably 
copious and excellent. We read in Ezra (2:34) and Nehe- 
miah (7:36) that three and forty-five of the inhabitants of 
Jericho who had been carried captive, returned to Judea 
with Zerubbabel, and in Nehemiah (3:2) we find them at 
work upon the walls of Jerusalem. Jericho is several times 
mentioned in the Gospels. Here Zaccheus the publican re- 
sided (Luke 19:1-10), and here Jesus healed two blind 
men. Matt. 20:29; Mark 10:46: And as they departed 
from Jericho a great multitude followed him, and behold 
two blind men sitting by the wayside when they heard 
that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, 
O Lord, thou son of David. Under the Romans Jericho 
was the second city of (the uow called Negro) Palestine or 
Holy Land. It was one of the royal residences of Herod 
the Great, who died there. It was laid waste by Vespasian, 
but rebuilt by Adrian. In the war of the Crusades it was 
again reduced to ashes, and the place is now said to be oc- 
cupied by a miserable hamlet called Keha. 

Gilgal was the first encampment of the Hebrews after the 
passage of the Jordan, and was situated southeast of Jerusa- 
lem, between that city and the river. Here the twelve 
stones were set up which had been taken from the midst of 
Jordan as a memorial of the wonderful event there wit- 
nessed (Josh. 4:20). This place continued for seven years 



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221 



to be the headquarters of the Israelites during the war 
which Joshua carried on against the (now called Negro) 
Canaanites. Josh. 9:10; 10:6-43. Therefore the five 
kings, of the (now called Negro) Anioritesof Jerusalem, the 
king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, 
and the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together and 
went up, they and all of their hosts, and encamped before 
Gibeon and made war against them. All of these were the 
now called Negroes. And the men of Gibeon sent unto Josh- 
ua to the camp of Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hands from 
thy servants ; come up quickly to us and save us and help 
us, for all the kings of the (now called Negro) Amorites 
that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against 
us. The tabernacle also remained here until it was re- 
moved to Shiloh (Josh. 18:1), from which place it was 
again brought back to Gilgal, as appears from 1 Samuel 
(10:8; 11:15; 15:33). Gilgal is mentioned as one of the 
places to which Samuel went in circuit yearly to administer 
justice. At Gilgal he assembled the people to renew the 
kingdom, that is, to confirm the appointment of Saul. 1 
Sam. 11:14-15; 7-16. Gilgal is also mentioned in the 
history of the Prophets Elijah and Elisha. 2 Kings 2:1- 
4:38. In later times it became notorious for the idolatrous 
rites celebrated there. To this circumstance Amos and 
Hosea allude to the place, but it is said to have now totally 
disappeared. Amos 4:4-5; Hosea 5:15; 9:15; 12:11. 

Engedi or Hazezon-Tamar was situated near the western 
shore of the Dead Sea. It was celebrated for its palm 
trees, the strongholds at Engedi where David hid him- 
self (1 Sam. 23:29), and there were caves in the neighbor- 
hood of this city. In Canticles (1:14) we read of the 
vineyards of Engedi, and we learn from modern travelers 
that this region has, in later times, been celebrated for its 
wine. 

Ziph was the name of two cities belonging to the tribe 



222 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



of Judah. The one was situated at the southern extremity 
on the borders of Edom (Josh. 15:24), the other much 
farther north on a hill of the same name, eight Roman 
miles east of the (now called Negro) town Hebron. 

This Ziph was one of the cities which Rehoboam forti- 
fied (2 Chronicles 11:8). In the neighborhood of this 
place was the wilderness of Ziph, where David fled from 
Saul's persecution (1 Samuel 23:13-24), and Carmel was a 
city on a hill of the same name (Joshua 15:55; 1 Samuel 
15:12) and was situated a few miles east of Ziph. Here 
were the possessions of Nabal, the husband of Abigail, to 
whom David made application for provisions. Here also 
was the scene of Nabal's death, and his wife was called a 
Carmelitess (1 Samuel 25:2 ; 27:3). Maon is where Nabal 
resided, though his possessions were in Carmel (v. 2) and 
were situated south of the latter place (Joshua 15:55) in 
the wilderness, and is said to be in the neighborhood of 
Maon. 

Zoar is one of the five cities in the vale of Siddim, 
which was spared at Lot's request, when the others were 
destroyed (Genesis 19:21). It was situated at the southern 
extremity of the Dead Sea. In the first century of the 
Christian era it was a bishop's see, and its ruins are said to 
be an inconsiderable village. The situation is exceedingly 
unhealthy and the people very poor. 

Ai, or Aiath, or Aija, was situated on an elevated spot 
east of Bethel. Joshua 8:11; Isaiah 10:28; Nehemiah 
11:31. It is mentioned several times in the history of 
Abraham. Genesis 12:8; 13:3. It was burnt by Joshua 
(8:24-25); but was afterward rebuilt after the return of 
the Jews from captivity. The Benjamites, to whom the 
place belonged, resumed possession of it. Nehemiah 11:31. 

There appears to have been two places by the name of 
Migron — one near the northern frontier, mentioned in 



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223 



Isaiah 10:29; the other was farther south, near Gibeah, 
mentioned in 1 Samuel 14:2. 

South of Migron and east of Bethaven lay Michmash 
(1 Samuel 13:5), a town of Benjamin. Ezra 2:27. This 
place is several times mentioned in the account of SauPs 
wars with the (now called Negro) Philistines. Samuel 
13:2-6; 5, Q, 7; 14:4-31. 

In Isaiah 10:29 we read of a passage, or narrow pass, 
between two rocks south of Michmash, which we find 
minutely described in 1 Samuel 14:4-5. This appears to 
have been highly important as a military post. 1 Samuel 
13:2-5. It was taken by Jonathan and his armor-bearer in 
the face of a (Negro) Philistine garrison, so-called, 
14:12-22. 

Geba, called in Judges (20:10; 1 Kings 15:22) Geba of 
Benjamin to distinguish it from another Geba in the tribe 
of Asher, not mentioned in the Bible, but said to be situ- 
ated between Shechem and Jerusalem. It was one of the 
most northerly places in Judea, as appears from 2 Kings 
23:8 and Zechariah 14:10, where the phrases "from Geba 
to Beersheba," ■' from Geba to Rimmon," are used to de- 
note the whole length of Judea. It was one of the cities 
assigned to the priests out of the tribe of Benjamin. Joshua 
18:24; 21:17. In the neighborhood of this place David 
defeated the (now called Negro) Philistines. 2 Samuel 
5:25. Geba is also mentioned in Isaiah 10:29. And the 
(now called Negro) Philistines heard that they had 
anointed David king over Israel. All the (so-called Negro) 
Philistines came up to seek David, and when David heard 
of it he went down to the hold. The (now called Negro) 
Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley 
of Rephaim. And David inquired of the Lord, saying, 
Shall I go up to the (so-called Negro) Philistines? Wilt 
thou deliver them into my hand? And the Lord said 



224 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD* 



unto David, Go up, for I will doubtless deliver (the Negro) 
Philistines into thine hand. 

Gibeah of Benjamin (1 Samuel 13:2; 15; 2 Samuel 
23:29; Judges 19:14; 20:4), so called to distinguish it 
from another Gibeah in Judah, also Gibeah of Saul, because 
Saul resided there. Samuel 10:26; 11:4; 15:34; Isaiah 
10:29. The people of this place demanded seven of Saul's 
sons from David and hung them. 2 Samuel 21:1-9. Long 
before this the inhabitants of Gibeah had been guilty of a 
piece of cruelty so atrocious that, as the sacred historian 
declares, there was no such deed done nor seen from the 
day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of 
Ham or Egypt. Judges 19:30. The other tribes, indig- 
nant at the outrage, demanded the offenders to be given 
up. But the Benjamites refusing to deliver them, the 
whole nation rose in arms against this single tribe and, 
though at first repulsed, at last succeeded in destroying 
Gibeah and twenty-five thousand men of the tribe of Ben- 
jamin. Judges 20:46. By this deed the people of Gibeah 
became infamous in Israel, so that the Prophet Hosea 
alludes to their wickedness as if proverbial. 9:9; 10:9. 

Gibeon was situated five Roman miles northwest of Je- 
rusalem. It is not mentioned among the royal cities enu- 
merated in Joshua 12:9-24. Nov is there any mention of 
a king of Gibeon in the Scriptures, though Joshua de- 
scribes it as a great city; but we see no king for the royal 
city. 10:2. The ambassadors who came to Joshua from 
Gibeon, saying, Our elders and all of the inhabitants of our 
country, not our kings. Joshua 9:11. It is said that there- 
fore in it and the three cities connected with it — Chephi- 
rah, Beeroth and Kirjath-jearim. Joshua 9:17. In the 
ninth chapter of Joshua we have an account of a stratagem 
practiced by the Gibeonites in order to escape destruction, 
in consequence of which a league was made with them by 
Joshua. When the deception was discovered the children 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



225 



of Israel, though sparing their lives, degraded them to the 
meanest offices in the services of the sanctuary. Soon after 
Joshua was called upon to act as protector of his new al- 
lies. Aclonizedek, king of Jerusalem, when he heard that 
the Gibeouites had made a separate peace with the in- 
vaders, combined with four other (Negro) Canaanitish kings, 
so called, to destroy the city; but was himself defeated and 
destroyed by Joshua. Joshua 10. Wherefore Adonizedek, 
king of Jerusalem, sent unto Hoham, king of (now called 
Negro) Hebron; and unto Piram, king of (now called 
Negro) Jarmuth ; and unto Japhia, king of (the so called 
Negro) Lachish; and unto Debir, king of (now said Negro) 
Eglon, saying, Come up unto me and help me, that we may 
smite Gibeon, for it hath made peace with Joshua and with 
the children of Israel. Therefore the five kings of the 
(now called Negro) Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the 
king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, 
the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together and went 
up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, 
and made war against it; and the men of Gibeon sent unto 
Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thine hand 
from thy servant; come up to us quickly and save us, and 
help us, for all the (now called Negro) kings of the Amor- 
ites that dwelleth in the mountains are gathered together 
against us. 

On the division of the laud among the tribes Gibeon, 
Chephirah, Beeroth and Kirjath-jearim fell to the lot of 
Benjamin. Joshua 18:15. Afterwards, however, Gibeon 
to the high priests and Levites. Joshua 21:17. 

In the latter part of David's reign the sanctuary was at 
Gibeon and the high priest Zadok dwelt there. 1 Chroni- 
cles 16:39-40; 21:59. There Solomon went to offer sacri- 
fices on his accession to the throne. At the pool of Gibeon 
a battle took place between twelve of David's men and 

15 



226 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



twelve of Ishbosheth's, in which every man was killed. 
2 Samuel 2:13. This pool, no doubt, is the same which is 
said to be the great waters in Gibeon, mentioned in Jere- 
miah 41:12. We read in 2 Samuel 20:8 that Joab assas- 
sinated Amasa at the great stone which is in Gibeon, and 
is said to be in memoriam of the battle above mentioned. 
Then they took all the men and went to fight with Ish- 
mael, the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great 
waters that are in Gibeon. 

Now it came to pass that when all the people which were 
with Israel and Ishmael saw Johanan, the son of Kareah, 
all the captains of the forces that were with him, then they 
were glad. Chephirah belonged to the tribe of Benjamiu 
before the captivity, aud was reoccupied by the Benjam- 
ites who returned. Josh. 18:26; Ezra 2:25 ; Neh. 7:29 ; 
Josh. 9:17. The children of Kirjathaim, Chephirah and 
Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three. Beeroth, an- 
other of the cities of the Gibeonites (Josh. 9:17), also be- 
longed to the tribe of Benjamin, and was also repossessed 
by them on their return. It lay at the foot of the hill on 
which Gibeon was built. To this place belonged the two 
men who murdered Ishbosheth (2 Sam. 4:2-3). And Saul's 
son had two men that were captains of bands. The name of 
the one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab, the 
son of Rimmon, a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin, 
for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin, and the Bee- 
rothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this 
day. Baalah, which is Kirjath-jearim (Josh. 15:9), also 
called Kirjath-Baal (69 v.) and simply Kirjath (Josh. 18:28). 
It was situated on the borders of Benjamin and Judah, for 
which reason it is reckoned among the cities of both tribes 
(Josh. 15:60 and 18:28); but in Judges 18:12 it is called 
Kirjath-jearim in Judah. In this place the Ark of the Cov- 
enant remained twenty years after it was removed from 
Bethshemesh (1 Sam. 1:2), until David, having obtained 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



227 



the possession of Jerusalem, fixed the sanctuary there (2 Sam- 
uel 6). Again David gathered together all the chosen men 
of Israel, thirty thousand ; and David arose and went, with 
all the people that were with him, from Baale of Judah up 
from thence, bearing the Ark of God, whose name is called 
by the name of the Lord of Hosts that dwelleth between 
the cherubim. And they set the Ark of God upon a new 
cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was 
in Gibeah, and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, 
drave the new cart. And they brought it out of the house 
of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the Ark 
of God, and Ahio went before the ark, and David and all 
the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of 
instruments made of fir wood, even on harps and psalteries, 
and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. And 
when they came to Nachon's threshing-floor Uzzah put 
forth his hand to the Ark of God and took hold of it, for 
the oxen shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled 
against Uzzah, and God smote him there for his error, and 
there he died by the Ark of God. And David was dis- 
pleased because the Lord had made a breach upon LTzzah, 
and he called the name of the place Perez-Uzzah to this 
day. And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and said, 
"How shall the Ark of the Lord come to me ?" So David 
would not remove the Ark of the Lord unto him into the 
city of David ; but David carried it aside into the house of 
Obed-Edom the Gittite. And the Ark of the Lord con- 
tinued in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. 
And the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his household. 
And it was told King David, saying, "The Lord hath 
blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that pertaineth 
unto him, because the Ark of God abideth with him." So 
David went and brought up the Ark of God from the house 
of Obed-Edom into the city of David with gladness. And 
it was so that "when they that bare the Ark of the Lord 



228 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



had gone six paces he sacrificed oxen and fatlings and 
danced before the Lord with all his might. And David 
was girded with a linen ephod." So David and all of the 
house of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shout- 
ing and with the sound of the trumpet. And as the Ark 
ot the Lord came into the city of David, Michal, Saul's 
daughter, looked through a window and saw King David 
leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him 
in her heart. And they brought in the Ark of the Lord 
and set it in his place in the midst of the tabernacle that 
David had pitched for it, and David offered burnt offerings 
before the Lord. And as soon as David had made an end 
of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed 
the people in the name of the Lord of Hosts. And he dealt 
among all the people, even among the whole multitude 
of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a 
cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon 
of wine. So all the people departed, every one to his 
house. Then David returned to bless his household • 
and Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet 
David and said, How glorious was the king of Israel 
to-day, who uncovered himself to-day in the eyes of the 
handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows 
shamelessly uncovereth himself ! And David said unto 
Michal : It was before the Lord, which chose me before 
thy father and before all of his house, to appoint me 
ruler over the people of the Lord of Israel, therefore 
will I play before the Lord, and I will yet be more vile 
than thus, and I will be base in mine own sight, and of 
the maidservants which thou hast spoken, of them shall 
I be had in honor ; therefore Michal, the daughter of 
Saul, had no child unto the day of her death. And Ra- 
mah, called also Ramathaim Zophim, was situated on a 
hill north of Jerusalem, between that city and Bethel, 
it seems, as from Judges (19:13, and Hosea 5:8) that it 



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229 



was not far from Gibeah. Here the Prophet Samuel 
was born (1 Samuel 1:1) ; here he dwelt (9:18) ; here he 
anointed Saul to be king over Israel (9:27 ; 10:1) ; here 
in all probability he died, and here he was certainly bur- 
ied. 25:1. Ramah, though it belonged to the tribe 
of Benjamin (Josh. 18:25), was included in the kingdom 
of Israel. Baasha, the second king after Jeroboam, 
fortified and garrisoned it (1 Kings 15:7; 2 Chron. 16:1), 
but Asa, the contemporary king of Juclah, having 
bribed the king of Syria to invade Baasha's northern 
provinces and thereby compel him to draw his garrison 
from Ramah, regained possession of the place (1 Kings 
15:18; 2 Chron. 16:26), which afterwards continued 
subject to the kings of Judah. 

When Jerusalem was taken by the Chaldeans Ramah 
was the headquarters of Nabuzaradan, the captain of the 
guard ; there he brought his captives, and among the rest 
of the prophets Jeremiah, who, however, was there set at 
liberty. Jeremiah 40:1. The same prophet represents 
Rachel, who was built in the neighborhood of Ramah (1 
Sam. 10:2), as mourning there over the captivity of Israel. 
Jeremiah 31:15. In the New Testament Ramah is said to 
be called Arimathea, a corruption of Ramathaim. To this 
place belonged Joseph, in whose tomb Christ was buried. 
Matthew 27:57 ; Luke 23:50-51 ; John 19:38. When the 
even was come there came a rich man of Arimathea named 
Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple ; he went to 
Pilate and begged the body of Jesus; he wrapped it in a 
clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which 
he had hewn out in the rock ; and he rolled a great stone 
to the door of the sepulchre and departed. On the hill 
where Ramah once stood we are taught that there is now a 
village situated in the midst of the ruins, and is called 
Samuel by the Arabs, who inhabited it. Ramah is not to 
confounded with Ramlah, a town farther west upon the 



230 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



seacoast, built in the eighth century; also Gallim and Laish. 
1 Samuel 25:44 ; Isaiah 10:30. But Saul had given Michal 
his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti, the son of Laish, 
which was of Gallim. And Avim or Avites are the (now 
called Negro) descendants of Ham's son Canaan, (Gen. 10: 
17), who occupied a portion of the coast of (the so-called 
Negro) Palestine from Gaza towards the river of Egypt ; 
but were expelled and almost destroyed by invading the 
Philistines or Caphtorim before the time of Moses. Deut- 
eronomy 2:23. And the Aviras, which dwelt in Hazerim 
even unto Azzah, the (now called Negro) Caphtorims 
which came forth out of Caphtor destroyed them and dwelt 
in their stead. Rise ye up and take your journey and pass 
over the river Arnon. Behold, I have given into thine 
hand (the Negro called) Sihon, king of the Amorites (so- 
called Negro of Heshbon), aud his land and begin to pos- 
sess it and contend with him in battle. Some of them yet 
remained in the time of Joshua. Joshua 13:3. They are 
conjectured to have been the same people with the (now 
called Negro) Hivites, of whom traces were found in vari- 
ous parts of Canaan (the now called Negro laud). Genesis 
34:2; Joshua 9:7 ; 11:3. And it came to pass when all 
of the (now called Negro) kings which were on this side of 
the Jordan in the hills and in the valleys, and in all the 
coast of the great sea over Lebanon, the (called Negro) 
Hittites, and Amorites (so-called Negroes), the Canaanites 
(Negroes), the Perizzites (now called Negroes), the Hivites, 
and also the (now called Negroes) Jebusites, heard thereof 
that they gathered themselves togetherto fight with Joshua 
and with Israel, with one accord. And the men of Israel 
said unto the (Negro now called) Hivites: Peradventure ye 
dwell among us, and how shall we make a league with you? 

Anathoth, one of the towns of Benjamin allotted to the 
priests (Joshua 21:18), was situated three Roman miles to 
the north of Jerusalem. It was the birthplace of Jere- 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



231 



miah ( Jer. 1:1), who denounces threats against the inhab- 
itants because they attempted to forbid his prophesying in 
the name of the Lord. Jeremiah 11:19-25. It was also 
the native place of Abiezer, one of David's mighty men (2 
Sam. 23:27), and the place to which Abiatha was confined 
by Solomon because he had taken a part with Adonijah. 
1 Kings 2:26. Among the Jews who returned from cap- 
tivity with Zerubbabel there were 128 men of Anathoth. 
Ezra 2:23 ; Neh. 7:27. Madmenah and Gebim. Isaiah 
10:31. Madmenah is removed, the inhabitants of Gebim 
gather themselves to flee. As yet shall he remain at Nob ; 
that day shall he stretch his hands against the Mount of the 
Daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. And that day 
there shall be a Root of Jesse which shall stand for an en- 
sign of the people (also of the now called Negro people) ; 
to it shall the Gentiles seek and his rest shall be glorious. 
And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall 
set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant 
of his people which shall be left from Assyria and from 
Ham or Egypt, and from Pathros and from Cush, and 
from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath and from 
the islands of the sea. (All the above named places were in 
the now called Negro countries and towns.) And he shall 
set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the 
outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Ju- 
dah from the four corners of the earth. The envy also of 
Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall 
be cut off. Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah 
shall not vex Ephraim. But they shall fly upon the 
shoulders of the (now called Negro) Philistines towards 
the west. They shall spoil them of the east ; together 
they shall lay their hands upon Edom and Moab, and 
the children of Amnion shall obey them. Isa. 11:10-14. 

Nob, a city of the priests (1 Sam. 22:19), in the land of 
Benjamin (Neh. 11:32) ; it was in sight of Jerusalem, 



232 



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towards the north. Here David obtained from Abimel- 
eeh the priest's shewbread to appease his hunger, and 
the sword of the (now called Negro) Philistine cham- 
pion, Goliath, to defend himself when he fled from Saul. 
1 Samuel 21 :l-9. For this connivance Saul put to death 
not only Abimelech himself, but all of the men, women 
and children and sucklings, and oxen and asses and 
sheep in Nob, the city of the priests. 21:19. G-ezer 
on the borders of Ephraim and Benjamin (Josh. 16:3), 
was the residence of a (now called Negro) Canaanitish 
king (Josh. 12:12), who came to the aid of Lachish 
when besieged by Joshua, but was totally defeated. 
Joshua 10:33. 

The city seems, however, to have continued in the 
possession of the (now called Negro) Canaanites; for 
the Ephrai mites, though they made them tributary, 
could not drive them out. Josh. 16:10; Judges 1:29. 
And they drave not out the (Negro now called) Ca- 
naanites that dwelt in Gezer, but the (now called Negro) 
Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, 
and serve under tribute. 

In the reign of Solomon, the place was couquered, 
not by Solomon himself, but by his father-in-law, 
Pharoah, king of Egypt or Ham, who had gone up and 
taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the (now 
called Negro) Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and 
given it for a present unto his daughter, Solomon's 
wife (1 Kings 9:16); Solomon rebuilt it (17). 

Upper and Nether Beth-horon (Josh. 16:3-5) were 
situated about twelve Homan miles northwest of Je- 
rusalem; the former on the brow of the hill, the latter 
in the valley below, the descent to which is called 
(Josh. 10:11), And it came to pass, as they fled from 
before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth- 
horon, that the Lord cast down great stones from 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



233 



heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died; they 
were more which died with hailstones than they whom 
the children of Israel slew with the sword; then spake 
Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered 
up the (now called Negro) Amorites before the children 
of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand 
thou still upon Gibeon, and thou Moon in the valley of 
Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed 
until the people had avenged themselves upon their 
enemies (the now called Negroes). Is not this written 
in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the 
midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down, about a 
whole day, on the going down to Beth-horon. These 
towns were built by Sherah, a granddaughter of 
Ephraim. 1 Chron. 7:24. Though sufficiently strong 
by nature, they were fortified by Solomon. 1 Kings 
9:17; 2 Chron. 8:5. Here a bloody battle was fought 
between Judas Maccabseus and the Syrian general 
Nicanor. 

We notice Emmaus, which is mentioned only once 
in the New Testament (Luke 24:13) as the place to 
which the two disciples were journeying on the day of 
Christ's resurrection, there stated to have been distant 
sixty furlongs from Jerusalem; it is said to be toward 
the north. There was another Emmaus said to be in 
the western part of Judea, which will be described 
hereafter. 

Mizpah in Benjamin (Josh. 18:26) appears to have 
been situated north of Jerusalem, and at no great 
distance. Before there were kings in Israel, the assem- 
blies of the people or their representatives were held at 
Mizpah (Judges 20:1; 21:15; 1 Sam. 7:5-7; 10:17), which 
was said to be, on account of its central situation. In 
later times, Asa, king of Judah, fortified Mizpah as a 
defense against the invasions of the kings of Israel, 



234 



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using for this purpose the materials which Baasha, 
king of Israel, had brought to Raniah with a similar 
design. 2 Chron. 16:6. Here Gedaliah resided, Nebu- 
chadnezzar's governor of Judea (Jer. 40-6), who was 
afterwards murdered by Ishmael. Jer. 41;l-6; 2 Kings 
25:25. Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that 
Ishmael, the son of Elishama, the son of Nethaniah, ot 
the royal seed, and the princes of the king, even ten 
men with him, came unto Gredaliah, the son of Ahikam, 
in Mizpah, and there they did eat bread together in 
Mizpah; then arose Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, and 
the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah, 
the son of Ahikam, the son of Shapham, with the 
sword, and slew him whom the king of Babylon had 
made governor over the land. Ishmael also slew all the 
Jews that were with him, even with Gedaliah at Mizpah, 
and the Chaldeans that w r ere found there, and the men 
of war. And it came to pass the second day after he 
had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew it, that there 
came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh and from 
Samaria, even four score men, having their beards 
shaven and their clothes rent, and having cut them- 
selves, with offerings and incense in their hands to 
bring them to the house of the Lord. And Ishmael, 
the son of Nethaniah, went forth from Mizpah to meet 
them, weeping all along as he went; and it came to 
pass, as he met them, he said unto them, Come unto 
Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam. And it w T as so, as they 
came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael, the son 
of Nethaniah, slew them and cast them into the midst 
of the pit, he and the men that were with him. And 
after the return of the Jews from captivity, Mizpah 
w T as rebuilt and occupied; and in Nehemiah (3:17-19) 
we find the men of Mizpah working upon the wall of 
Jerusalem; no vestige of this city now remains. There 
was another Mizpah in the western part of Judea. 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



235 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Jerusalem. — Ancient Jerusalem was situated upon 
several hills originally separated by deep valleys, which, 
however, in process of time, were in a great measure 
filled up. The highest of these hills, upon which stood 
what was called the upper town, or southwest portion 
of the city, still retains its ancient name of Zion, which 
is often used in Scripture to denote the whole city. 
Psalms 78:2-5, 22; 102:13-16; 110:2; Isaiah 4:3; 10:24. 

Opposite this upper town upon Mount Zion, towards the 
northeast, stood the tower town built upon another hill, 
called by the Greeks Acra, or the citadel, from a castle 
built there by Antiochus Epiphanes. South of Acra was 
a third hill, Mount Moriah, originally separated from it by 
a valley, but united to it by Simon Maccabseus, who filled 
up the valley, destroyed the castle ot Antiochus, and lev- 
eled the peak of Acra, in order that the temple which stood 
upon Mount Moriah was connected with Mount Zion by a 
bridge thrown across the valley that divided them, and that 
it might not be overtopped with any profane edifice. 

Josephus mentions a fourth hill, called Bezetha or the 
new town, because first added to the city by Agrippa, 
grandson of Herod the Great. a And it shall come to pass 
that he that is left in Zion and that remains within Jerusa- 
lem shall be called holy, even every one that is written 
among the living in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have 
washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall 
have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, 
by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning, and 
the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount 
Zion and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day 
and the shining of a flaming fire by night, for upon all the 
glory shall be a defense, and there shall be a tabernacle for 



236 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



a shadow in the daytime from the heat and for a place of 
refuge and for a covert from storm and from rain." At 
the time of Josephus, who lived soon after Christ, the whole 
city, except where it was inaccessible, was surrounded with 
a triple wall furnished with breastworks, called in the 
Scriptures bulwarks and ramparts (Psalms 48:13; Lam. 
2:8) and with towers (2 Chron. 26:9-15). Two of these 
are mentioned particularly in the Bible, the tower of Han- 
aneel (Jer. 31:38; Zech. 14:10) and the tower of Meah. 
Neh. 3:1; 1 2 : : ^ 9 . These towers were square, twenty ells 
high above the walls and two hundred ells apart. Jerusa- 
lem was said to be furnished with gates on three sides of it, 
but only the south side of Mount Zion being accessible 
after the return of the Jews from captivity. We read in 
the Scriptures of ten gates; five of these were on the east- 
ern side — one, the water gate, so called from the brook 
Kedron, which flowed before it (Neh.3:26; 12:37); second, 
the horse gate by the king's house (2 Chron. 23:15; Neh. 
3:28), was said to be called so from the vicinity of the 
royal stables ; third, the sheep gate, through which the 
animals were said to be brought in for sacrifice. It stood 
close to the temple and was the first gate rebuilt by Zerub- 
babel. Nehemiah 3:1. Between this and the horse gate 
dwelt the priests (v. 28). It is said that near this gate 
was the pool of Bethesda, mentioned in John 5:2 ; fourth, 
the fish gate, between the sheep gate aud the old gate. 
Nehemiah 3:3; Zephaniah 1:10. " And it shall come to 
pass in that day, saith the Lord, that there shall be the 
noise of a cry from the fish gate and howling from the 
second, and a great crashing from the hills." Fifth, the 
old gate or first gate. Nehemiah 3:6; 12:39; Zechariah 
14:10. " All the land shall be turned as a plain, from 
Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, and it shall be lifted 
up and inhabited iu her place from Benjamin's gate unto 
the place of the first gate unto the corner gate, and from 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



237 



the tower of Hananeel unto the king's wine presses. " Two 
were on the north side. Sixth, the gate of Ephraim, called 
also the gate of Benjamin. Nehemiah 8:16; Jeremiah 37:13, 
38:7; Zechariah 14:10. Seventh, the corner gate, was said 
to be four hundred cubic feet west of the gate of Ephraim. 
2 Chronicles 25:23; 26:9; Jeremiah 31:38; Zechariah 14:10; 
Nehemiah 12:39. Three were on the western side. Eighth, 
the valley gate. Nehemiah 3:13. Ninth, the dung gate, 
a thousand cubics south of the valley gate, before which 
was the dragon well. Nehemiah 2:13; 3:13-14. The 
fountain gate (Neh. 2:14; 12:37) was to be called so from 
the fountain of Siloah, which formed a pool near this gate 
and watered the king's garden. Nehemiah 3:15. The 
middle gate mentioned in Jeremiah 39:3 was an entrance 
from the lower to the upper town. The prison gate (Neh. 
12:39-40) and the gate of Mishkad (3:3) were gates of the 
temple, not the city ; the gate mentioned was said to have 
been a private gate. 2 Kings 4; Jeremiah 39:4. No par- 
ticular street in Jerusalem is mentioned in the Scripture 
excepting the bakers' street. Jeremiah 37:21. From this 
expression, and from Neh. 3:16; 2 Chron. 32:6; Neh. 8:1-3, 
3:32, it would seem that in ancient Jerusalem, as in most 
Oriental cities at the present day, men of the same occupation 
inhabited the same quarter. In Jeremiah we see the words 
translated street (v. 16) or (v. 15) properly siguify squares 
or places around the gate. The important public edifices of 
Jerusalem besides the temple were the fort, castle or strong- 
hold of Zion, when the Hebrews invaded the (now called 
Negro) Holy Land or Palestine. This city was in the hands 
of the (now called Negro) Jebusites, and in their hands it 
continued even after David had subdued the whole circum- 
jacent region. So strong was it by nature and so well forti- 
fied by art, that when David came against it the (now called 
Negro) inhabitants replied to his summons, "Except thou 
take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in 



238 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



hither" (2 Sam. 5:6) ; that is, even if our army were de- 
stroyed. The blind and the lame could defend so strong a 
post. At length David promised the command of his army 
to the man who should take this place, upon which Joab went 
up and took it. 1 Chronicles 11:6. After this it was called 
the city of David. 2 Samuel 5:9; 6:10-12; 1 Kings 8:1. It 
was surrounded by a wall called Millo, which was repaired 
and strengthened by David. 2 Samuel 5:9. And after- 
wards by Hezekiah. 2 Chronicles 32:5. 

On the same hill, Mount Zion, was said to be the palace 
of King Solomon, called the house of the forest of Leb- 
anon, on account of the multitude of cedars from that 
mountain employed in the construction of it. The reader 
will see a description of it in 1 Kings 7:2; 10:17. On 
the same hill in the later times stood the palace of King 
Herod, a magnificent edifice near the northern wall of the 
upper town. It was destroyed with the other public build- 
ings by the Romans. The castle of Antonia, built by 
John Hyrcanus and repaired by Herod, was situated at the 
northwest corner of the temple, the vestibule of which was 
commanded by the highest tower of the castle. Here a 
Roman garrison was stationed, after the (now called Negro) 
Holy Land or Palestine became a province, to watch the 
proceedings of the people in the temple. Into this castle 
the Apostle Paul was carried to save him from the fury of 
the Jews. Acts 21:34-37; 22:24; 23:10. It is said by 
some of the ancient writers that this was the Pra3torium, 
translated judgment hall. John 18:28; 19:9. And 
some cried one thing and some another, among the multi- 
tude, and when he could not know the certainty for the 
tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle, 
and when he came upon the stairs, so it was that he was 
borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people, for 
the multitude of the people followed after crying, Away 
with him! And as Paul was led into the castle, he said 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



239 



unto the chief captain: u May I speak unto thee?" who 
said: " Canst thou speak Greek?" And in front of it 
was the pavement where Pilate pronounced sentence upon 
our Savior. The origin of Jerusalem was said by the an- 
cient historians to be lost in remote antiquity. When the 
Hebrews iuvaded the (now called Negro) Holy Laud or 
Palestine it was the seat of (now called Negro) Adoni- 
bezek, a Cauaanitish king, and was then called Jebus or Je- 
busi. Judges 19:10-11. This king (so called the Negro) 
was conquered and slain by Joshua (10:23-26) and the city 
given to the tribe of Benjamin. Joshua 18:28. And 
they did so and brought forth those five kings unto him 
out of the cave — the king of Jerusalem (the now called 
Negro), the (so called Negro) king of Hebron, the (Ne- 
gro) king of Jarmuth, the (now called Negro) king 
of Lachish (the called Negro), and the king of Eglon, 
the (Negro) Canaanites, so called ; and it came to pass 
when they brought out those kings unto Joshua that 
Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and unto the 
captains of the men of war, which went with him, Come 
near and put your feet upon the necks of them, and 
Joshua said unto them: Fear not, nor be dismayed; 
be strong and of good courage, for thus shall the Lord 
do all your enemies against whom ye fight. And after- 
wards Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged 
them on five trees, and they were hanging upon the 
trees until evening. And it came to pass at the time of 
the going down of the sun that Joshua commanded, 
and they took them down off the trees and cast them 
into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great 
stones in the cave's mouth, which remain until this very 
day. 

These were (the now called Negroes) Canaan's de- 
scendants, Ham's sons, in the Holy Land or Palestine; 
the land of Canaan, the Promise Land which flowed with 



240 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



milk and honey. And as the Benjamites, however, de- 
layed long to gain possession of it (Judges 1:8), the 
stronghold however, or the upper town, still continued 
in the possession of the (now called Negro) Canaanites 
for several hundred years, the Israelites dwelling in the 
lower town without molestation (Joshua 15:63 ; Judges 
1:21) until, at length, Joab took the castle in the reign 
of David (2 Sam. 5:2-8; 1 Chron. 11:4-6), who transferred 
his residence from (the now called Negro) Hebron to 
this city, which thenceforward bore the name of Jeru- 
salem, or, by abbreviation, Salem CPs. 76:2), i. e., the 
City of Peace. Here the temple was built by Solomon, 
after whose death, when ten of the tribes revolted, Je- 
rusalem continued to be the capital of the kingdom of 
Judah. 

In the reign of Amaziah, Joash, king of Israel, took 
the city, plundered the temple and the palace, and 
carried captive a part of the inhabitants. 2 Kings 14: 
12-14. By the succeeding kings of Judah, Uzziah, 
Jotham and Hezekiah, Jerusalem was fortified. 2 
Chron. 26:9; 27:3; 32:5. And after this it came to 
pass that David smote the (now called Negro) Philis- 
tines and subdued them, and David took Methegammah 
out of the hand of the (now called Negro) Philistines; 
and he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, 
casting them down to the ground; even with two lines 
measured he to put them to death, and with one full 
line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David's 
servants, and brought gifts. 2 Sam. 8. 

In the reign of Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar, king 
of Babylon, took the city and carried into his own do- 
minions not only the king, but the greater part of the 
inhabitants, leaving Jehoiakim's brother, Zedekiah, to be 
king in his place, as a tributary to the crown of Baby- 
lon. 2 Kings 24:17-18. Zedekiah, however, having 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



241 



become a vassal to the king of Ham or Egypt, Nebu- 
chadnezzar, in a second expedition, conquered, sacked 
and burnt the city. 2 Kings 25:2 ; 2 Chronicles 36. 

After seventy years, when Babylon became apart of 
the Persian empire, Cyrus gave permission to the cap- 
tive Jews to return to their own country and rebuild 
their city and temple. The manner in which this was 
accomplished is said to form the subject of the books of 
Ezra and Nehemiah. But Jerusalem seems to have risen 
from her ashes only to suffer new calamities. In the 
space of three hundred and fifty years it was successively 
besieged and taken by Ptolemy Lagi, king of Ham or 
Egypt; by Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria; by 
Pompey the Great, by Pacorus the Parthian, and by 
Herod the Great. 

The Romans had now obtained possession of the (now 
called Negro) Holy Land or Palestine. About sixty 
years before the birth of Christ they oppressed the in- 
habitants so cruelly that at length they rose in open 
rebellion and with such violence that Titus Vespasian 
was dispatched with an army to repress them. By him 
Jerusalem was stormed and burnt about seventy years 
after the birth of Christ. The ancient writers state 
that in 136 a.d. the Roman Emperor ^Elius Adrianus 
built a new city on the ruins of Jerusalem, which he 
called ^Elia Colonia Antonina; this name it bore until 
after the conversion of Constantine the Great to Chris- 
tianity, in the fourth century, when the ancient name 
was revived. In the year of 615 a.d. Jerusalem was 
taken by the king of Persia, and about twenty years 
after by the Arabs, under the Caliph Omar. From these 
again it was taken by the Seejooks, and from these 
b} 7 the Egyptians, and at the end of the eleventh cen- 
tury it was conquered by the Crusaders and became the 

16 



242 



THE REVEALED W0KD OF GOD. 



seat of a Christian king; but in less time than a hun- 
dred years it was overthrown by Saladin. From this 
period it passed by turns into the hands of different 
Mohammedan and Christian nations. The writers of 
antiquity teach us that about three hundred years ago 
it was taken by the Turks, to whom, they say, it has 
ever since belonged. 

Jerusalem is said to occupy at the present day a part 
of the ancient site, the Emperor Adrian having, when 
he rebuilt it, left the greater part of Mount Zion with- 
out the walls. It is said to have seven gates, only five 
of which are used. 1. The gate of Damascus, on the 
north. 2. The gate of Herod, shut up. 3. Stephen's 
gate, on the east, leading to the Mount of Olives; just 
without this gate the Martyr Stephen is said to have 
been stoned to death. 4. The golden gate; this is 
now said to be entirely closed up to prevent the Jews 
and Christians from approaching the great mosque of 
Omar, which stands upon the site of the old temple, 
near this place. 5. The western gate, or dung gate. 

6. Zion gate, or David's gate, leading to Mount Zion. 

7. The Jaffa or Bethlehem gate. The present walls 
are said to have been built by the Sultan Soliman in 
1534; they are said to be thirty feet high and studded 
with towers on Mount Zion. There was a fort called 
David's Castle, built by the Crusaders. 

The streets of Jerusalem are cleaner than those of the 
other Eastern cities, but said to be very narrow. The 
houses very high, and have no windows in the lower 
stories. The most important public edifices in Jerusa- 
lem at present are as follows : The Church of the Holy 
Sepulchre, built in the form of a cross over the spot 
where it is claimed our Savior Jesus Christ was cruci- 
fied and buried. It is said to belong to the Roman 
Catholics, Greeks, Armenians, and Copts in common. 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



243 



It is said to be open only on festivals. The writers of 
antiquity say that a certain number of priests, from each 
of the churches just enumerated, reside in it constantly, 
receiving food through a hole in the door. They say 
that the Convent of San Salvador or the Holy Savior 
is occupied by Franciscan monks from the different 
countries of Europe, who live upon alms collected 
throughout Christendom. It is said that in this convent 
all European travelers, of whatever church or nation, 
are hospitably entertained. The Armenian convent, 
built upon the spot where the Apostle James is said to 
have suffered martyrdom, is the richest religious house 
in the Levant. The superior, who is a patriarch or 
archbishop, lives in splendid style. The Greeks are 

.said to have about twenty convents here, the finest of 
which is one near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, 
where their patriarchs reside. 

And Heshbon, a celebrated city of the (now called 
Negro) Amorites, was twenty miles east of Jordan. 
Joshua 3:10; 13:17. And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall 
know that the living God is among you, and that he 
will, without fail, drive out from before you the Ca- 
naanites (so called Negro), and the Hittites (now called 
Negro), the Hivites and the (now called Negro) Periz- 

- zites, and the (so called Negro) Girgashites, and the Am- 
orites (Negroes), and the Jebusites (now called Negro), 
and after these (now called Negroes') were conquered by 
Joshua, the city was given to Reuben, but was after- 
wards transferred to Gad, and then to the Levites. It 
had been conquered from the Moabites by Sihon, the 
(now called Negro) Amorite king, and became his 
capital, and was taken by the Israelites little before the 
death of Moses. Numbers 21:23-35; Joshua 21:39. 
After the ten tribes were transplanted into the country 
beyond the Euphrates, the Moabites recovered it. Isaiah 



244 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



15:4; Jeremiah 48:2-45. Its ruins are still called Hes- 
ban, and cover the sides of a hill seven miles north of 
Medeba. This is the covenant that Shem and Japheth 
appears to have made against Ham (now called Negro) : 
There shall be no more praise of Moab in Heshbon ; 
they have devised evil against it. Come and let us cut 
it off from being a nation. Also thou shalt be cut down. 
O madmen, the sword shall pursue thee. A voice of 
crying shall be from Horonaim, spoiling and great de- 
struction. For this great mosque was built upon the site 
of Solomon's temple; the writers of antiquity say that 
it was about 1,260 years ago, by the Caliph Omar, and 
called by the Mohammedans Es-Sekhrah, or the stone, 
from a tradition that upon this same spot Jacob saw the 
ladder and set up the stone, which had been his pillow, 
as a memorial. Gen. 28 : 11-18. No Christian is said 
to be allowed to approach this mosque. It is said to be 
of an octagonal form, and is said to be a splendid speci- 
men of Oriental architecture. The population of Jeru- 
salem at this time consists of about sixteen thousand, 
Turks, Arabs, Jews, Greeks, Armenians, Syrians, Abys- 
sinians and Copts. They are said to be generally very 
poor. The only profitable trade carried on there is in 
the crucifixes, rosaries and relics. The sale of these 
superstitious toys bring into the Convent of San Salva- 
dor a yearly income of 5,000 piasters. Another source 
of revenue to the inhabitants is the resort of pilgrims^ 
both Christians and Mohammedans. The former visit 
the holy sepulchre at Easter. The number is said to be 
4,000. The latter worship in the mosque on their re- 
turn from Mecca. The Jews here are said to be very 
poor. Most of them come from foreign parts in their 
old age to die and be buried in the valley of Jehosa- 
phat. 

The governor of Jerusalem is subject to the pacha of 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



245 



Damascus, to whom he pays a certain proportion of the 
sums which he extorts from the inhabitants and pil 
grims. 

East of Jerusalem, beyond the brook Kedron, is said 
to be the garden of Gethsemane, the scene of our Sav- 
ior's agony, and the place where he was seized. Matt. 
26 : 36. It is said to be now a grain field of about half 
an acre, surrounded by a low wall. In it there were 
eight olive trees, said to be several hundred years old. 
The Franciscans of San Salvador to whom the ground 
belongs preserve the kernels of the olives that grow 
here to serve as beads for rosaries. The Mount of 
Olives, the valley of Jehoshaphat, and the valley of 
Hinnom have already been described. In the valley of 
Iiinnom, at the foot of Mount Mori ah, southeast of 
Mount Zion, rises the fountain of Siloah, or Grihon. 
The water from this spring forms two pools on opposite 
sides, called in the Scriptures the upper pool (Isa. 7:3) 
or king's pool (Neh. 2: 14), and the lower pool. Isa. 
22 : 9. "Then said the Lord unto Isaiah, Go forth now 
to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-jashub thy son, at the 
end of the conduit of the upper pool, in the highway of 
the fullers field." In one of these pools Jesus sent the 
blind man to wash for the recovery of his sight. John 
9:7. 

Another spring near Jerusalem is called Mary's foun- 
tain, not far from Siloam, with which it is connected 
by an artificial passage. It is said to be the Enrogel 
mentioned in Joshua 15:7 ; 18:16. Within the wall 
of Jerusalem there is a hollow said to be 120 feet long, 
8 feet deep, which, though not quite dry, is said to be 
the bed of the pool of Bethesda mentioned in John 5:2. 
On the west side of the pool there are three decayed 
arches, supposed to be relics of the five porches. On 
Mount Zion there is a mosque said to be built over 



246 



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David's sepulchre, and an Armenian church is said to 
stand upon the site of the high priest Caiaphas' house- 
On the same hill there is a rouse, once a convent now 
inhabited by Turks, which is shown as the very spot 
where the Lord's Supper was instituted and where the 
Holy Ghost descended on the day of Pentecost. The 
now called Negro was there at the very time Peter an- 
nounced the miracle of which they all wondered about, 
and on Mount Zion also is the Christians' burial 
place Many other burial places, filled with an- 
cient sepulchres, are said to be found about Jerusa- 
lem, one of which is indicated by tradition as the 
Potter's Feld, or field of blood. Matt. 27 : 7, 8; Acts 
1:19. In the valley of Jehoshaphat there are several 
curious specimens of ancient architecture; one of these 
is called the sepulchre of Jehoshaphat ; another the 
sepulchre of Zechariah. A third is supposed by the in- 
habitants to be the monument which Absalom erected 
for himself (2 Sam. 18:18), in consequence of which be- 
lief every Jew, Christian and Mohammedan who pass 
by throw a stone to express his abhorrence of the char- 
acter of Absalom. On the north side of the city are 
said to be the sepulchres of the kings, and farther to 
the northwest the graves of the judges of Israel. All 
of these are said to be of ancient origin. North of the 
garden of Gethsemane, between the brook Kedron and 
the Mount of Olives, are the ruins of a church built by 
the Empress Helena ; is said to be over the grave of the 
Virgin Mary. In a channel at this spot eighteen lamps 
are said to be constantly kept burning, the expense of 
which is defrayed partly by Mohammedans who unite 
with the Oriental Christians in paying peculiar honors 
to this spot. 

"And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction 
of my people which are in Ham or Egypt, and have 



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247 



heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters ; for I 
knew their sorrows , and I am come down to deliver 
them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring 
them up oat of that land unto a good land and a large 
one, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the 
place of the (now called Negro) Canaanites, and the 
(so called Negro) Hittites, and the Amorites (Negroes 
now called), and the Perizzites (so called Negroes) and 
(the Negro) Hivites, and the Jebusites (Negro now 
called). Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children 
of Israel is come unto me and I have also seen the op- 
pression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come 
now, therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharoah, that 
thou mayest bring forth my people, the children of Is- 
rael, out of Egypt into the (now called Negro) land of 
promise. Ham's son Canaan's descendants possessed 
that land on the other side of the Jordan in the now 
called Holy Land or Palestine, anciently the now 
called Negro. 

We notice Bethpage and Bethany are mentioned to- 
gether in the account of Christ's last entrance in Jeru- 
salem. Mark 11:1; Luke 19:29; Exodus 3:7-11. They 
were situated near the foot of the Mount of Olives 
towards the southeast. From Bethpage Jesus sent his 
disciples to procure the ass colt. This village has en- 
tirely, disappeared. Bethany was the residence of Laza- 
rus whom Christ raised from the dead (John 11), and 
of his sisters Mary and Martha. Here in the house of 
Simon the leper Jesus was anointed with precious 
ointment. Matthew 16:6; Mark 14:3; John 12:1-3. 
And here during the last days of his life he was said to 
be accustomed to retire from Jerusalem in the evening 
and spend the night. 

The grave of Lazarus is said to be still visited by pil- 
grims. Bethlehem, anciently called Ephrath (Genesis 



248 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



35:16-19; 48:7), though such an inconsiderable place as to 
be omitted in every list of the cities of Judah. Josh. 15; 
Nehemiah 11:25; Mich. 5:1. It was well known in 
the early times as the native town of David, on which 
account it is called the city of David (Luke 2:4-11), 
and long after became more sacred and celebrated as 
the 'birthplace of the Savior. Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:4-6. 
It still retains its ancient name and is said to be situated 
on a hill overlooking a deep valley about two leagues 
south of Jerusalem. It is said to be very uninviting 
but becomes more attractive in the neighborhood of 
Bethlehem, the soil being such as would richly repay 
the toil of cultivation. The town has been said to con- 
tain about 200 houses inhabited by Christians and Mo- 
hammedans, who live together in peace. About two 
hundred paces east of Bethlehem stands the celebrated 
Church of the Nativity, and adjoining it a Franciscan 
convent. A subterraneous chapel in this church is said 
to have been the stable in which Christ was born. It is 
said to be lighted by thirty-two lamps which are con- 
stantly kept burning, adorned with paintings and said 
to be furnished with an organ. Another subterraneous 
chapel in this church is said to be called the oratory of 
St. Jerome, who is said to have made his translation of 
the Bible in this place and to have been buried here- 
Within the same convent there is said to be another 
ancient church called the Church of St. Catherine. 

Besides this Franciscan convent there is said to be an 
Armenian and a Greek one. And at the northwest of 
Bethlehem no great distance is the grave of Rachel, Ja- 
cob's wife. Genesis 35:19. And Rachel died and was 
buried in the way to Ephrath which is Bethlehem. 
And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave, that is the pillar 
of Rachel's grave unto this day, over which there was a 
monument of ancient date. About as far eastward there 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



249 



was a small but beautiful and fruitful plain, where tra- 
dition says the shepherds were feeding their flocks by 
night when they received from the angel the intelli- 
gence of the Redeemer's birth. Luke2:9-10. Here are 
said to be the ruins of a church built by the Empress 
Helena. South of Bethlehem there are said to be three 
pools or reservoirs, supposed to be the same mentioned 
in Ecclesiastes 2:6. These reservoirs are thirty ells deep 
above two hundred long, above one hundred wide, and 
are to this day called Solomon's pools. Tekoah was 
situated not far to the southeast of Bethlehem on the 
borders of the great wilderness frequented by herdsmen. 
Amos tells us that he was among the herdsmen of Te- 
koah. 1:1. It was one of the posts fortified byReho- 
boam (2 Chronicles 11:6), but has now wholly disap- 
peared. 

(The now called Negro) Hebron, which we have al- 
ready mentioned, was originally called Kirjath Arba, 
i. e., the city of Arba, which Arba was a great man 
among the Anakims. Joshua 14:15. It was among one 
of the oldest cities in the (now called Negro) Holy Land 
or Palestine. In the neighborhood of this place Abra- 
ham abode after he separated from Lot (Genesis 13:18) 
and bought a field with a cave in which to bury his 
dead. Genesis 23. In this cave were buried, besides 
Abraham himself, his son Isaac, his grandson Jacob, 
with their wives Rebecca and Leah, and his great- 
grandson Joseph. Genesis 23:19; 25:10; 49:29-33; 50: 
12-13. When the Hebrews invaded the (now called 
Negro) Holy Land or Palestine, Hebron was the resi- 
dence of a king (Joshua 12:10) named Hoham, who 
combined with four other Canaanite kings (the now 
called Negroes) against Israel, but w as defeated and de- 
stroyed by Joshua, wherefore Adonizedek, king of Jeru- 
salem, sent unto Hoham, king of (the now called Negro) 



250 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Hebron, and unto Piram, king of Jarmuth, and unto 
Japhia, king of Lachish, and unto Debir, king of Eg- 
lon (Joshua 10:3-27), after which the city being taken 
was assigned to Caleb (Joshua 14:6-14) agreeably to a 
promise given by Moses. Numbers 13:30-33; 14:5-24. 
Afterwards it was made a city of refuge and was given 
to the priests. Joshua 20:7; 21:11. 

When David succeeded Saul upon the throne of 
Israel he made choice of (the now called Negro) Heb- 
ron as his royal residence, and continued there until 
Jerusalem was taken (2 Samuel 2:1 ; 5:4 9) on the di- 
vision of the nation under Rehoboam, the (now called 
Negro) Hebron city belonging to the kingdom of 
Judah. 2 Chron. 11:10. It was then a flourishing 
town or city called El-khulil, well known for its glass 
manufactory. The inhabitants were engaged in perpetual 
hostilities with those of Bethlehem, which prevents its 
being visited by pilgrims. The Empress Helena built 
a splendid church over the graves of the patriarchs, 
which is said to be now a mosque. 

Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all 
the assembly of the congregation of the children of 
Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the 
son of Jephuuneh, which were of them that searched 
the land, rent their clothes. And they spake unto all 
the company of the children of Israel saying, The land, 
which we passed through to search it, is an exceedingly 
good land. If the Lord delight in us then he will bring 
us into this land and give it us (the now called Negro 
Hamitic people's land), that was a land which flowed with 
milk and honey ; only rebel not ye against the Lord, 
neither fear ye the people of the land, for they are bread 
for us ; their defense is departed from them, and the 
Lord is with us ; fear them not. But all the congrega- 
tion bade stone them Avith stones. And the glory of 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



251 



the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congrega- 
tion before all the children of Israel. And the Lord 
said unto Moses: How long will this people provoke me, 
and how long will it be ere they believe me for all the 
signs I have shown among them ? I will smite them 
with the pestilence and disinherit them, and will make 
of thee a greater nation and mightier than they. And 
Moses said unto the Lord, Then the Egyptians shall 
hear of it (for thou broughtest up this people in thy 
might from among them) and they will tell it to the 
inhabitants of this land (the now called Negro),' for they 
have heard that thou Lord are among this people, that 
thou Lord art seen face to face, and that thy cloud 
standeth over them, and that thou goest before them 
by daytime in a pillar of cloud and in a pillar of fire by 
night. Now if thou shall kill all this people as one man 
then the nations which have heard the fame of thee, 
will speak, saying: Because the Lord was not able to 
bring this people into the land which he sware unto 
them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness; and 
now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great 
according as thou hast spoken, saying : The Lord is 
longsuffering and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity 
and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, 
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children 
unto the third and fourth generation. Pardon, I be- 
seech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto 
the greatness of thy mercy as thou hast forgiven this 
people from Ham or Egj 7 pt, even until now. And the 
Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word, but 
as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the 
glory of the Lord. Because all those men which have 
seen my glory and my miracles which I have did in 
Ham or Egypt and in the wilderness and have tempted 
me, now these ten times, and have not hearken to my 



252 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



voice, surely they shall not see the laud that I sware 
unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that pro- 
voked me see it. But my servant Caleb, because he 
had another spirit with him and hath followed me fully, 
him will I bring into the laud whereunto he went and 
his seed shall possess it. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Kow the Amalekites and the (now called Negro) 
Cauaauites (now called) dwelt in the valley. Debir, 
formerly called Ivirjath-sepher (or the city of books) 
and also Kirjath-sannah (Joshua 15:49), was taken by 
Joshua from its king (Joshua 10:38-39) and given to 
the tribe of Judah. The precise situation of this place 
cannot be ascertained, but it is said to be no doubt near 
(to the now called Negro) Hebron. 

It was retaken by the (now called Negro) Canaan- 
ites after the first conquest and again conquered by 
Othniel, Caleb's nephew. Joshua 15:15-17. There was 
another Debir beyond Jordan in the tribe of Gad. Josh. 
13:26. Beersheba was situated twenty miles south of the 
(now called Negro) Hebron city, at the southern extrem- 
ity of Canaan, for which reason the phrase from Dan to 
Beersheba is used to denote the whole length of the 
country, and from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim the 
whole length of the kingdom of Judah. 2 Chron. 19:4. 
Beersheba was at first merely the name of a well 
dug by Abraham (Gen. 21:25-30; 26:15-18) near which 
he . long resided (Gen. 21:32 ; 22:19), and his son Isaac 
after him. Gen. 26:26-33. In Joshua 15:28 it is as- 
signed to the tribe of Judah, but in 19:2 to Simeon. 
Beersheba was the residence of Samuel's sons Joel and 
Abiah when they became colleagues of their father. 1 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



253 



Samuel 8:2. In later times it was a seat of idolatrous 
worship. Amos 5:5 ; 8.13-14. On the return of the 
Jews from captivity Beersheba is said to be again re- 
peopled. Neli. 11:27-30. Goshen was one of the 
cities of the tribe of Judah. Joshua 15:51. The sur- 
rounding region was called the land of Goshen, and is 
not to be confounded with the district of the same 
name where the Israelites dwelt in Ham or Egypt. 

Hormah. Josh. 12:14; Judges 1:17; Num. 14:45; 21:2-3; 
Joshua 15:30; 19:4-5; 1 Chron. 4:30; 1 Sam. 30:30. 
Rimmon, like Beersheba, is sometimes used to denote 
the southern extremity of Judah. Zech. 14:10. This 
place also belonged at first to the tribe of Judah 
(Joshua 15:32), but was afterwards assigned to Simeon. 
Joshua 19:7; 1 Chron. 4:32. Moladak was also one of 
the cities assigned first to Judah and afterwards to 
Simeon. Joshua 15:26; 19:2; 1 Chron. 4:28. Ziklag was 

. also situated farther south on the border of Edom, 
near the brook Besor; it was given first to Judah and 
afterwards to Simeon. Joshua 15:31; 19:50. 

These above named cities were the now called Negroes 
that descended from Ham, but in the time of Saul this last 
mentioned city was in the hands of the (now called Negro) 
Philistines. By Achish, king of Gath, it was given to David 
(1 Sam. 27:5,6), but during his absence it was burnt by 
the Amalekites, for which outrage he took vengeance. 1 
Sam. 30:1—6. Juttah (Joshua 15:55) is supposed by some 
to have been the city where the parents of John the Bap- 
tist dwelt (Luke 1:39), as it was situated in the hill coun- 

. try and was also a city of the priests. Joshua 21:16. Its 
precise situation is uncertain, as well as that of Beth-tap- 
puah, Eshtemoh and Bezek. Aphek, where the Israelites 
were twice defeated by the (so called Negroes) Philistines 
with the loss of the ark (1 Sam. 4:1-11), was situated on the 
borders of Judah and Benjamin west of Jerusalem (5:1) 



254 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



* Dor, one of the (now called Negro) old Canaanitish 
royal cities (Joshua 12:23; see also Joshua 17:11 ; 1 Chron. 
2:9; Judges 1:27; 1 Kings 4:11), was said to be a little 
town on the Mediterranean coast between Carmel and 
Csesarea. 

Csesarea — by some writers called Caesarea of the 
(now called Negro) Holy Laud or Palestine to distinguish 
it from Caesarea — was situated on the Mediterranean coast. 
The town was adorned with splendid edifices, and said to 
be furnished with a fine artificial harbor by Herod the Great, 
who called it Csesarea in honor of Augustus Csesar, to 
whom he built a temple here. It was inhabited by both 
Greeks and Jews, between whom dissensions were perpet- 
ually arising, which gradually led the way to the general 
rebellion that occasioned the destruction of Jerusalem. 
After that event it became the chief city in the (now 
called Negro) Holy Land or Palestine and the residence 
of the Roman governor. Acts 23:23-33; 24:27; 25:1. 
Cornelius the centurion, whose conversion is related in the 
tenth chapter of Acts, resided at this place. The Apostle 
Paul was repeatedly at Cassarea. Acts 9:29-30; 18:21- 
22; 21:7-9. The last time, he was sent there by Claudius 
Lysias, the chief captain at Jerusalem, and remained there 
in imprisonment two years. It was at Csesarea that he de- 
fended himself before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa and ap- 
pealed to Csesar, in consequence of which he was sent to 
Rome. Acts 23:23-33; 26:27; 27:1. In the beginning 
of the twelfth century Csesarea was taken by the Crusaders 
under Baldwin, king of Jerusalem. At the end of the 
same century it was conquered by the celebrated Saladin. 
It is said to be now a miserable hamlet of fishers' huts sur- 
rounded by stately ruins. 

Antipatris, between Jerusalem and Cyesarea, was founded 
by Herod the Great and called after his father. Here 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



255 



Paul was brought by the Roman guard at night on his way 
to Caesarea. This place has disappeared. Acts 23:31, 32. 

Lod, or Lydda, a city of Benjamin (Neh. 11:35; Ezra 
2:33), near to Joppa (Acts 9:38), where the Apostle Peter 
healed ^Eneas of the palsy (33-35). It was burnt by the 
Romans during the war in the (so-called Negro) Holy 
Land or Palestine while the inhabitants were attending 
the feast of Tabernacles at Jerusalem. It was afterwards 
rebuilt under the name of Diospolis, or the city of Jupi- 
ter. Lydda was said to be, in the twelfth century, the see 
of the Bishop of St. George, so called from the cathedral 
church that is said to have been built over the grave of St. 
George, a Christian who was said to have suffered martyr- 
dom in one of the early persecutions. The place is said to 
now be in ruins. 

Japho, called by the Greeks Joppa and by the Arabs 
Jaffa, is one of the oldest towns in Asia. It belonged to 
the tribe of Dan (Joshua 19:46), and was celebrated for its 
harbor from the earliest times. Tne timber hewn upon 
Mount Lebanon for Solomon was floated to this port. 2 
Chron. 2:16. When the Prophet Jonah fled to avoid the duty 
which had been assigned him, he came to Joppa to embark 
for Tarshish. Jonah 1:3. Here the now called Apostle 
Peter raised Tabitha from the dead (Acts 9:36-42), and 
here in the house of Simon a tanner he saw an emblemati- 
cal vision indicating that the Gospel should be preached 
not to the Jews only but also to the Gentiles. Matt. 10:4 
and Mark 3:18 teaches us that this is Simon the Canaanite, 
which I have already explained his birthplace in the land 
of the (now called Negro) Canaanites. In the war with 
the Romans Joppa was said to be burnt, but soon re- 
built. Afterwards, however, it became the stronghold of 
pirates who infested the neighboring seas, in consequence 
of which it was utterly destroyed. It was again rebuilt 
in the time of the Crusades, and soon became flourishing 



256 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



as being the only good harbor on the coast of Palestine. 
It has been said to be very prosperous, being the landing- 
place of all pilgrims who visit the (now called Negro) 
Holy Land or Palestine and the port through which 
almost all imports and exports pass. The town was said 
to be surrounded with gardens and orchards of figs, apples, 
citron and pomegranate trees. 

Zorah was a city first belonging to Judah (Joshua 15:33) 
and afterward to Dan. Joshua 19:41. Here Samson 
was said to have been born. Judges 13:2-24. Not far 
from Zorah was the place called Mahaneh-dan, or the camp 
of Dan, because six hundred Danites here assembled when 
about to migrate towards the north in search of a new res- 
idence. Judges 18:11, 12. 

Bethshemesh, a city of priests (Joshua 21:16), situated 
on the borders of Dan and Judah (Joshua 15:10) 
is sometimes called Bethshemesh which belongeth to 
Judah (2 Kings 14:11; 2 Chronicles 25:21), to dis- 
tinguish it frorn another Bethshemesh in Naph- 
tali (Josh. 19:38; Judges 1:33), and a third in the land 
of Ham or Egypt (Jer. 43:13). When the (now called 
Negro) Philistines were smitten on account of the ark 
which they had taken in battle, they sent it to Beth- 
shemesh, where some of the people looking into it a 
pestilence is said to have swept off more than fifty 
thousand men. It was then removed to Kirjath-jearim. 
1 Sam. 6:19-21. A battle was fought near Bethshem- 
esh between Amaziah, king of Judah, and Joash, king 
of Israel, in which the latter was defeated and taken 
prisoner. 2 Kings 14:11-13. In the reign of Ahaz, 
king of Judah, the (now called Negro) Philistines took 
possession of Bethshemesh. 2 Chron. 28: 18. The (now 
called Negro) Philistines had also invaded the cities of 
the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had 
taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Grideroth, and 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



257 



Shochoh with the villages thereof, and Tinman with the 
villages thereof, Gimzo, also, with the villages thereof, 
and they dwelt there; for the Lord brought Judah low 
because of Ahaz, king of Israel, for he made Judah 
naked and transgressed sore against the Lord. 

There were two towns called Ajalon, one in the valley 
of Ajalon in Dan (Josh. 19:42), the other in the tribe of 
Zebulun. Here Elon the judge was buried. Judges 
12:12. 

Tinmath or Tinmah, situated on the northern boun- 
dary of the tribe of Judah, was said to be one of the 
oldest towns of the (now called Negro) Holy Land or 
Palestine. It is mentioned in Genesis (38:12). In 
Samson's time it belonged to the (now called Negro) 
Philistines (Judges 14:1-2; 15:1-6), and though it ap- 
pears to have been subject to David, Solomon, and their 
successors, we find it again in the (now called Negro) 
Philistines' hands. 2 Chron. 28:18. 

Libnah was a city of the priests (Josh. 21:13; 1 Chron. 
6:57) within the bounds of Judah. Josh. 15:42. In 
the reign of Joram the inhabitants of this place revolted 
from him. 2 Kings 8:22; 2 Chron. 21:10. In the 
reign of Hezekiah Libnah was taken by the Assyrians. 
2 Kings 19:8; Isaiah 37:8. There were two other places 
of the same name mentioned in the Scripture, one in 
the wilderness of Mount Sinai (Num. 33:20), the other 
in the tribe of Asher. Josh. 19:26. 

Makkedah was one of the (now called Negro) Ca- 
naanitish royal cities (Josh. 12:16) conquered by Joshua 
(10:3-27). In the neighborhood was the cave where 
the (now called Negro) live kings concealed themselves 
after their defeat. 

Lachish (2 Chrou. 11:9; Mic. 1:13; Neh. 11:30), whose 
king was one of the five just mentioned (Josh. 10:3-27), 

17 



258 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



and whose inhabitants so long withstood Nebuchad- 
nezzar (Jer. 34:7) when the king of Babylon's army 
fought against Jerusalem and against all the cities of 
Judah that were left against Lachish and against Aze- 
kah, for these defensed cities remained of the cities of 
Judah and Azekah (Josh. 15:35; Jer. 34:7), between 
which place and Shochoh the (now called Negro) Philis- 
tines were mustered before Goliath's death. 1 Sam. 
17:1. 

We will mention some more of the Hamitic people's 
towns and cities. (The now called Negro) Shochoh, 
the name of two places in Judea, one on the plain the 
other in the mountains. Josh. 15:35; 1 Sam. 17:1. 
They are Said to have been not far apart. 

Keilah (Josh. 15:44) was delivered by David from the 
(now called Negro) Philistines (1 Sam. 23:5), and is said 
to be the place where the Prophet Habakkuk is sup- 
posed to have been buried. Then they told David 
saying, Behold the (now called Negro) Philistines tight 
against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. There- 
fore David inquired of the Lord saying, Shall I go and 
smite these (now called Negro) Philistines? And the 
Lord said unto David, Go and smite the (so called Negro) 
Philistines and save Keilah. And David's men said 
unto him, Behold we be afraid here in Judah, how 
much more then if we come to Keilah against the 
armies of the (now called Negro) Philistines? Then 
David inquired of the Lord once again, and the Lord 
answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah, for I 
deliver the (so called Negro) Philistines unto thine 
hand. So David and his men went to Keilah and 
fought with the (now called Negro) Philistines and 
brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great 
slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 

Adullam is one of the oldest towns of the (now called 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



259 



Negro) Cauaanites. Gen. 38:1-20; Josh. 12:15; 15:35; 
2 Chron. 11:7; Neh. 11:3. Here in a cave David con- 
cealed himself. 1 Sam. 22:1-2. Eglou, between the 
(now called Negro) towns of Hebron and Lachish. 
Josh. 10:35-36. 

Ashan (Josh. 15:42; 19:7; 1 Chron. 6:5-9), situated 
about fifteen Roman miles west of Jerusalem. Either 
(Josh. 15:42) one of the places among which David 
distributed the spoil won from the Amalekites. 1 Sam. 
30:27. 

Zenan, on the Mediterranean (Josh. 15:37), is said to 
be the same with Zanuan (Mic. 1:11), the Hamitic peo- 
ple, better known as the now called Negro. 



CHAPTER XV. 

It appears from Genesis (10:13-14) that the Philis- 
tines were of Egpytian origin, though they came to 
Palestine immediately from Caphtor (Amos 9:7) which 
has been supposed to be the same with the island Crete. 
On their arrival in Canaan (the now called Negro land) 
they drove out the Avim from the maritime region between 
Joppa and the Egyptian border and took up their abode 
there. Deut. 2:23 : Are ye not as children of the Ethi- 
opians unto me, O children of Israel? saith the Lord, 
Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt, 
and the (now called Negro) Philistines from Caphtor, and 
the Syrians from Kir? Here they were living in the time 
of Abraham, governed by a king who dwelt at Gerar. 
Gen. 26:1; 20:2. 

When the Hebrews under Joshua invaded the 
(now called Negro) land of Canaan, the Philis- 
tines (so called Negro) were divided into five 
principalities under as many lords. Josh. 13:3. 
In the time of Saul we read of Achish, king 



260 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



of Gath (1 Sam. 21:10; 27:2), in the land of the (now 
called Negro) Philistines. This prince is said to be, 
in the title of the 34th Psalm, called Abime- 
lech, and as the king who was Abraham's contemporary 
bore the same name it was said to be a royal title, simi- 
lar to that of Pharaoh in Egypt or Ham and Csesar in 
Rome. 

With the Israelites the (now called Negro) Philistines 
were, from the beginning, in perpetual war. Judges 
10:11. Many battles between them are recorded in the 
history of Saul and David with various results. 1 Sam- 
uel 4; 7:13; 17; 2 Samuel 5: 17; 8:1; 23:9. The Philistines 
(so called Negroes) were tributary to Jehoshaphat, king 
of Judah, but after his death revolted. 2 Chronicles 
18:11; 21:16. They were again subdued by Uzziah, who 
built cities in their territory. 2 Chronicles 26:6-7. But 
in the reign of his son, Ahaz, they took several cities of 
Judah. Nevertheless Isaiah represents them as rejoic- 
ing at the death of that king, because the rod of him 
that smote them was broken. Isaiah 14:29. Hezekiah 
defeated them. 2 Kings 18:8. Andsoon after Ashdod, 
one of their cities, was taken by the Assyrians. 2 
Kings 18:17; Isaiah 20:1. After the destruction of Je- 
rusalem Jeremiah and Ezekiel threaten the (now called 
Negro) Philistines with a similar calamity (Jeremiah 
47; Ezekiel 25:15), which is said came to pass, as we 
read no more of them in history. 

The towns mentioned in Scripture as belonging to the 
(now called Negro) Philistines are Jabneh or Jabneel, 
(Joshua 15:11; 2 Chronicles 26:6), situated a few miles 
west of Ramlah on the road to Gaza. By the Greeks 
and Romans it was called Jamnia. In later times it is 
said that a celebrated Jewish school flourished here. 

Ekron was given by Joshua first to the tribe of Ju- 
dah (Joshua 15:45; Judges 1:18), and afterwards to that 



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261 



of Dan (Joshua 19:43), but seems to have been always 
in the hands of the (now called Negro) Philistines. 1 
Samuel 6:17; Amos 1:8; Zephaniah 2:4; Jeremiah 25:20; 
Zechariah 9:5-7. When the (now called Negro) Philis- 
tines took the Ark of the Covenant they carried it first 
to Ashdod and then to Ekron. 1 Samuel 5:7-10. To 
Ekron Ahaziah, king of Judah, sent when sick to in- 
quire of Baal-zebub, a god of the (now called Negro) 
Philistines. 2 Kings 1-16. Gath, within the bounds 
of the tribe of Dan, was in the days of David the resi- 
dence of a (now called Negro) Philistine king named 
Achish, with whom David himself sought refuge twice 
when his life was sought by Saul. 1 Samuel 21:10-15; 
27:1-7. When David, however, became king he prose- 
cuted the war against the (now called Negro) Philis- 
tines with far more zeal and success than his predeces- 
sor; in the course of it taking Gath with its dependen- 
cies. 1 Chronicles 18:1. Yet when he retired before 
Absalom he was accompanied by a guard of six hundred 
men from Gath. 2 Samuel 15:18. 

Iu the beginning of the reign of Solomon we find 
Achish still reigning, or another of the same name (1 
Kings 2:39), but the place seems to have been taken 
soon after by Solomon. 1 Kings 4:24; 2 Chronicles 
11:8. In the reign of Joash it was conquered by Hazael, 
king of Syria (2 Kings 12:17), but was soon letaken 
(2 Kings 13:25) by Uzziah. The walls were broken 
down. 2 Chronicles 26:6. After this time we see no 
more of it being mentioned in sacred history. Ashdod 
(Joshua 15:46-77), is mentioned (Joshua 13:3), as one of 
the five cities of the (now called Negro) Philistines. 
Here was the temple of Dagon, in which the (now called 
Negro) Philistines placed the ark. 1 Samuel 5:1-6. 
The walls of this city were also broken down by Uzziah. 
2 Chronicles 26:6. When Sargon, king of Assyria, un- 



262 



THE EEVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



dertook an expedition against Ham or Egypt, his gen- 
eral fonght against Ashdod and took it. Isaiah 20:1. 
It was afterwards taken and dismantled by Psammet- 
icus, king of Ham or Egypt, in consequence of which 
Jeremiah speaks of it as the remnant of Ashdod. 25:20. 
After the return of the Jews from captivity the people 
of Ashdod opposed the rebuilding 'of the temple, not- 
withstanding which the Jews continued to intermarry 
with them, contrary to God's command. Xehemiah 
4:7; 13:23-27. By the Greeks Ashdod was called Azotus, 
under which name it is mentioned in Acts 8:39-40. It 
is said to be now in ruins and is famous only for its 
scorpions. Askelon, on the Mediterranean Sea, five 
miles north of Gaza, (Joshua 13:3; 1 Samuel 6:17; Amos 
1:8; Zephaniah 2:4; Judges 1:18), does not appear to 
have been taken by Solomon or David. 

In the fourth century it was said to be a bishop's see- 
In the time of the Crusades is was said to have been 
taken by the Christians, but was afterwards retaken by 
Salaclin, who reduced it to ashes. After it had been 
partially rebuilt it was again destroyed by the mutual 
consent of the Christians and Mohammedans. It is 
said that ever since that time it has been a heap of 
ruins. 

Gaza is said to be the most southern point on the sea- 
coast of the (now called Xegro) Holy Land or Palestine. 
Genesis 10:19. And the border of the (now called Xe- 
gro) Canaanites was from Sidon as thou coraest to Ger- 
ar unto Gaza, as thou goest unto Sodom and Gomorrah 
and Admah and Zeboim, even unto Lasha. It was fo r 
some time in the possession of the tribe of Juclah 
(Joshua 15:47; Judges 1:18), but seems to have been soon 
regained by the (now called Xegro) Philistines and to 
have afterwards continued in their hands. Judges 
16:1-31; 1 Samuel 6:17. It is said to have been taken 



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263 



by Alexander the Great once, and in the time of Euseb- 
ius it was a flourishing city and a bishop's see. In 634 
it was said to be taken by the Saracens; in 1152 by 
Baldwin, king of Jerusalem, and in 1187 by Saladin. It 
is said to consist of three small villages, in a pleasant 
situation, and abounds in ancient ruins. 

Southwest of Gaza, between Kaclesh and Shur (Gen. 
20:1), was Gerar (2 Chron. 14:12-14), the residence of 
a (now called Negro) Philistine king or prince. Gen. 
26:8. Both Abraham and Isaac resorted to this place 
when compelled by a prevailing famine to leave their 
usual residence; and both here practiced a similar de- 
ception on Abimelech. Gen. 20:1; 26:1. The valley 
of Gerar, where Isaac dwelt (Gen. 26:17), was said to 
be no doubt in the neighborhood; it is said, in this 
valley Coustantiue the Great built a monastery. 

Phoenicia or, as it was called in the time of Christ, 
Syro-Phoenicia, became then included in the bounds of 
Syria; it is a narrow tract of land along the seacoast, 
said to be about eighty miles in length and twelve in 
breadth, bounded on the east by Mount Lebanon, 
Samaria and Galilee, and stretching from the Island of 
Arvad or Aradus on the north to Sidon on the south. 
This region is said to be a part of the land of the 
(now called Negro) Canaanites, as appears from Mat- 
thew (15:22-24), when the same person is described as 
a woman of Canaan who in Mark (7:26) is called a 
Syro-Phoenician. And behold, a woman of (the now 
called Negro) Canaan, came out of the same coast, and 
cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, Lord, 
thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed 
with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And 
his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her 
away, for she crieth after us. But he answered and 
said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house 



204 



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of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, 
Lord help me. 

The face of the country is said to be uneven, being 
broken by chains of hills, some of which project into 
the sea, forming abrupt promontories. Here and there, 
however, between the mountains and the sea, there are 
said to be plains of moderate extent. Phoenicia is said to 
be watered by a number of considerable rivers which 
flow from Mount Lebanon into the sea. The largest and 
most northerly of these was called by the ancient 
Greeks Eleu-Theros; and by the Arabs, Narh-el-Kebir 
(the great river). Some miles farther south is said to 
be Nahr-Kadesha or Holy River. A little to the south 
of Gebal is said to be the river of Abraham, called by 
the Greeks, Adonis, said to be from a heathen deity of 
that name, who, in his mortal state is said to have been 
wounded by a wild boar on Mount Lebanon; his name 
was said to be given to this river because, at the time 
of the year when his death was celebrated the water 
of the stream was said to be always red: this circum- 
stance is occasioned by the passage of the stream 
through the red earth of Mount Lebanon, which im- 
parts its color to the water when softened and washed 
down by the rainy season. Between Gebal and Bey- 
rout is said to be the mouth of the Nahr-Kalb, or Dog 
River, called by the Greeks, the Wolf River. South ot 
Beyrout flows the Damit, anciently said to be called 
Tamyras, a beautiful clear stream, bordered throughout 
its course with laurel trees and roses. Farther toward 
Tyre the Kasnich or Leitam is said to rise in a wild 
glen and meanders through delightful meadows. Be- 
sides these larger rivers there are said to be many 
minor streams and innumerable streams aud brooks. 

The climate of Phoenicia is said to be mild; the 
spring and autumn are very pleasant; and the summer 



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265 



moderately warm, except on the seacoast, where the 
heat is frequently oppressive ; the winter is said to be 
so mild that the most delicate trees and plants continue 
green and thrive throughout the whole season in the 
open fields. 

The soil is said to be very fertile • besides wheat, rye, 
barley and the cotton-plant, it produces in abundance 
pomegranates, figs, dates, olives, and other fruits of the 
best quality, while its vineyards furnish excellent 
wines. In some parts, too, the mulberry and sugar- 
cane are cultivated. 

This rich abundance, in the midst of the disadvan- 
tages of an imperfect agriculture and a despotic gov- 
ernment, evinces the truth of the descriptions given by 
the ancients of the wealth and splendor of Phoenicia. 
At the present time, it is said that the cities once so 
celebrated for their trade and opulence are nothing 
more than hamlets erected upon ruins. 

Arvad or Aradus, now called Purvad, is said to be 
situated on a rocky island at the northern extremity of 
Phoenicia; it was said to be founded by the (now called 
Negro) Arvadites, one of the (now called Nogro) Ca- 
naanitish tribes which settled in this region. Gen. 
10:18. In the time of the Prophet Ezekiel it is said to 
have been built, nearly six hundred years before Christ; 
the (now called Negro) Arvadites were in the ser- 
vice of the Tyrians both as mariners and soldiers. 
Ezekiel 27:8-11. This island is said to make a fine ap- 
pearance at a distance, but the town is said to be totally 
deserted. 

Sumrab, a ruined village, is said to be about twenty- 
four miles southeast of Tortosa, was said to be the 
remnant of an ancient city, founded by the (now called 
Negro) Zenarites (Gen. 10:18), and is said to be called 



266 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



after their name, the (now called Negro) Hamitic peo- 
ple. Sumrah is said to be a very pretty ruined village. 

Five miles southeast of Sumrah, and about twenty-five 
miles north of Tripoli, are said to be the ruins of Arka, 
the seat of the (now called Negro) ancient Arkites. 
Gen. 10:17. The site is a delightful one, being directly 
opposite the northern extremity of Lebanon, and com- 
manding a delightful prospect; on the summit of a 
neighboring hill there once stood a castle, in ancient 
times esteemed impregnable. West of the hill is the 
deep valley of Acca, through which flows a stream of 
the same name. 

The village of Sin, at the southwestern extremity of 
Lebanon, is said to stand upon the site of the city of the 
(now called Negro) Sinites, another old Phoenician tribe. 
Gen. 10:17. 

Tripoli, situated at the foot of Mount Lebanon upon 
the Kadesha, was said to be built by three Phoenician 
states (the now called Negro): 1, Aradus; 2, Tyre; 
and 3, Sidon; and thence was called Tripoles, or the 
triple city. It was said to be once a great commercial 
mart, and was said to have considerable trade, its 
harbor being the best upon the Syrian coast. It was 
said to be surrounded with orchards, and abounded 
with fruit, but it was exceedingly unhealthy. 

Jiblah, or Jibal, the Gebal of the Old Testament, 
called by the Greeks and Komans, Biblos; it was said 
to be situated on an eminence near the sea: the land of 
the Giblites, mentioned in Joshua (13:5), is the region 
round about this place. In Ezekiel (27:9) the in- 
habitants of Gebal are spoken of as skilled in the art of 
ship-building. The place is said to be now in ruins. 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



267 



CHAPTER XVI. 

Bey rout, the ancient Berytus, is situated to the west of Jib- 
lah, on a peninsula, having on the north a bay into which the 
river Magors (now called the river Beyrout), and is said to be 
on the hill covered with country houses, mulberry trees and 
vines. It contained above 12,000 inhabitants, and was the 
principal commercial place upon the coast of Syria. The prin- 
cipal exports were said to be silk and cotton ; it has in later 
years been more known as a missionary station. 

Some of the ancient writers suppose that Beyrout is the Bero- 
thai of 2 Sam. 8 : 8, and the Berothah of Ezekiel 47 : 16, the 
now called Negro, Sidon or Zidon, one of the oldest cities of 
Phoenicia, received its name from (the so called Negro) Sidon, 
the eldest son of Canaan ( Gen. 10 : 15), one of the first settlers 
of this region. In Jacob's benediction of his sons (Gen. 49 : 13) — 
Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea, and he shall be for 
an haven of ships and his border shall be unto Zidon — he 
prophesies that Zebulun's border should be unto Zidon. It is 
called Great Zidon in Joshua 11:8 and 19:28, in the latter of 
which places it is mentioned that the territory of the tribe of 
Asher included Zidon. In Judges 1:31, 3:3, however, we find 
the (now called Negro) Zidonians were not driven out, and in 
Judges 10:12 they are also mentioned among the nations by 
whom Israel was oppressed. Afterwards there seems to have 
been peace between them, for in Judges 8:7 it is said that the 
inhabitants of Laish dwelt quiet and secure, after the manner of 
the (now called Negro) Sidonians. Sidon appears to have been 
older than Tyre, for the latter is not mentioned with it in Genesis 
10:15-18. The name (now called the Negro) Sidon appears 
to have been applied of old to all Phoenicia. It appears from 
Jeremiah (27:3; 25 : 22) that Tyre and Sidon were at that time 
governed by their own (now called Negro) princes. In Ezekiel 
28 : 21-24 there were tremendous threats denounced against the 
people of this city which were fulfilled in the capture and the 
destruction of the place by Artaxerxes Ochus, king of Persia, 



268 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



350 years before the birth of Christ. It was afterwards rebuilt 
but never regained its independence. (The now called Negro) 
Sidon was said to be once a place of extensive trade. It is 
now said to be choked up with sand. 

Tyre, or Tyrus, one of the most ancient cities of Phoenicia, 
now called Sur, is situated on a peninsula which projects into 
the sea in the form of a mallet 'terminating in a solid rock, cov- 
ered with earth, 800 paces long and 400 broad. There were 
two cities, one called Pake tyrus, or Old Tyre, and the other 
simply Tyre. The former was situated on the continent, the 
latter on an island. Though said to be less than (the now called 
Negro) Sidon, Tyre is said to have soon rose above it and be- 
came the richest mart in the ancient world. In Joshua 19 : 29 
it is called the strong city Tyre, and in 2 Samuel 24 : 7 the 
stronghold of Tyre. In reference to its antiquity, Isaiah called 
it a city whose antiquity is of ancient days. Isa. 23 : 7. 
From Hiram, king of Tyre, David obtained timber, gold, and 
workmen for the building of the temple. Hiram also sent his 
ships with those of David to Ophir and Tarshish. 1 Kings 
9: 10-14, 27; 10: 22. In latter times the friendship of the 
nations seems to be interrupted, whence the Prophets Amos and 
Joel speak of Tyre as a hostile city. Amos 1 : 9, 10 ; Joel 3 : 4. 
At the time of the Assyrian invasion under Shalmanezer, Tyre 
had arrived to such a pitch of opulence and splendor that Isaiah 
speaks of it as the crowning city whose merchants are princes, 
whose traffickers are the honorable of the earth (Isa. 23 : 8). 
It was afterwards taken by Nebuchadnezzar, after a siege of 
thirteen years, an event predicted by Ezekiel (26:28). Alex- 
ander the Great made several unsuccessful attempts to take 
Tyre, and at length succeeded by filling up the strait and uniting 
the island to the continent. During the war of the Crusades 
Tyre was said to be repeatedly conquered and reconquered by 
the contending parties until, about the end of the thirteenth 
century, it was said to pass into the hands of the Egyptian sul- 
tan. In consequence of this event the Christians are said to 
have left the place and its manufactures ceased. Since that 
time it is said to have gradually declined, and is said to be 



THE KEVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



269 



a mere hamlet, consisting of not more than fifty families of fish- 
ermen. 

Merah and Misrephoth-maim appear to have been in the neigh- 
borhood of (the now called Negro) Sidon (Josh. 13:4-6; 
11-8), but their precise situation is not certain. (The so called 
Negro) Phoenicia seems to have been divided from the earliest 
times into a number of independent principalities. King Hi- 
ram of Tyre has been already mentioned as a contemporary 
and confederate of David. Ethbaal, king of the (now called 
Negro) Zidonians, was the father of Jezebel, the wife of Ahab 
(1 Kings 16 : 31). Third in the order of succession after him 
came Dido, who fled from her cruel and avaricious brother, 
Pygmalion, and founded Carthage, on the coast of Africa. It 
was said to be about seven hundred years before the birth of 
Christ. 

The Tyrians appear to have assumed a control over all the 
other cities of (the now called Negro) Phoenicia. Sidon is said 
after that to have achieved its independence. The Prophet 
Jeremiah speaks of ambassadors sent to King Zedekiah by the 
kings of Tyre and Sidon, the so called Negro kings (Jer. 
27 : 3). And sent them to the king of Edom, and to the king 
of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of 
Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messen- 
gers which came to Jerusalem, unto Zedekiah, king of Judah. 

Sihon, the (now called Negro) king of the Amorites at 
Heshbon, on refusing passage to the Hebrews and coming to 
attack them, was himself slain, his army routed and his domin- 
ions were divided among the Israelites. Num. 21:21-34; 
Deut. 2 : 26-36. 

Sihor, black or turbid, the Nile. In Isaiah 23 : 3 and Jere- 
miah 2 : 18 this name must necessarily be understood of the 
Nile. In Joshua 13 : 3 and 1 Chronicles 13 : 5 some have un- 
derstood it of the little river between Ham or Egypt and Judah. 
To solicit his co-operation against Nebuchadnezzar ; from Ezek. 
27 : 8-11 it would seem that Tyre was again in some way at the 
head of the Phoenician States. After this period, however, they 
were conquered by Chaldeans, Persians and Macedonians succes- 
sively, and on the death of Alexander the Great, Phoenicia 



270 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



fell to the share of Antiochus, which is said to be 218 years be- 
fore Christ. Since that time it has always shared in the vicis- 
situdes of Syria. The Phoenicians are said to be conspicuous in 
history as having been the earliest navigators, even before the 
Trojan war, more than 1,500 years before the birth of Christ. 
They seem to have carried on a foreign trade with the islands 
of the Mediterranean and the coast of Greece, acting sometimes 
as kidnappers and pirates. They afterwards extended their voy- 
ages to Spain, and in the reign of Solomon to Ophir, on the 
southern coast of Arabia. 1 Kings 9:27-28; 10 : 22. A lively 
picture of the wide extent of Phoenician commerce is presented 
in the twenty-seventh chapter of Ezekiel. The Phoenicians 
began also at an early period to establish colonies in foreign 
parts. The most remarkable of these were Tarshish or Tartessus 
on the river said to be Guadalquivir ; Gades, the ancient Gadiz ; 
Chittim, or Kittim ; the Isle of Cyprus, and Carthage, on the 
northern coast of Africa. In Isaiah (23:6-12) the prophet ex- 
horts the Tyrians, after the destruction of the city, to pass over 
to the colonies of Tarshish and Chittim. Over these colonies 
Tyre appears to have exercised a tyrannical authority, in conse- 
quence of which Ezekiel represents them as exulting over the 
downfall of the mother country. 26:17. By some of the 
Phoenicians, it is said that they invented the art of writing, and 
it is said their language was very similar to the Hebrew. "And 
they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, How 
art thou destroyed !" The (now called) Negro is now asking 
this same question that was inhabited of seafaring men. The 
renowned city which was strong in the sea, she and her inhab- 
itants which cause their terror to be on all that haunt it. Now 
shall the isles tremble in the day of thy fall, yea, the isles that 
are in the sea shall be troubled at thy departure. The Avim 
or Avites, descendants of the (now called Negro) Canaanites 
(Gen. 10 : 17), who occupied a portion of the coast of the Holy 
Land or Palestine, the (now called Negro) land of Canaan, from 
Gaza to Ham or Egypt, but were expelled and almost de- 
stroyed by invading the (now called Negro) Caphtorim, or the 
Philistines before the time of Moses. Deuteronomy 2:23. Some 
yet remained in the time of Joshua. Joshua 13:3. They are 



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271 



conjectured to have been the same (now called Negro) people, 
with the (now called Negro) Hivites, of whom traces were found 
iu various parts of Canaan. Genesis 34:2; Joshua 9:7; 11:3. 

Askelon, a city in the land of the (now called Negro) Philis- 
tines, between Ashdod and Gaza, on the coast of the Mediterrane- 
an. After the death of Joshua, the tribe of Judah took Askelon, 
but it subsequently became one of the five governments belonging 
to the (now called Negro) Philistines. Judges 1:18; 1 Samuel 
6:17. Dr. Richardson thus describes its present state; "As- 
kelon was one of the proudest satrapies of the (now called Negro) 
Philistines. Now there is not an inhabitant within its walls, 
and the prophecy of Zschariah is fulfilled : 'The king shall 
perish from Gaza, and Askelon shall not be inhabited.' Zech. 
9 : 5. 'Askelon shall see it and fear; Gaza also shall see it and 
be very sorrowful, and Ekron for her expectation shall be 
ashamed, and the king shall perish from Gaza and Askelon shall 
not be inhabited, and a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod; and I 
will cut off the pride of the (now called Negro) Philistines. And 
I will take away his blood out of his mouth and his abomination 
between his teeth, but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for 
our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as 
a Jebusite" (now called the Negro). Sidon, in the Old Testa- 
ment Zidon, now called Saida, was a celebrated city of Phce 
nicia, on the Mediterranean Sea, twenty miles north of Tyre and 
as many south of Beyrout. It is one of the most ancient cities in 
the world. Genesis 49 : 13. Zebulun shall dwell at the haven 
of the sea, and he shall be for an haven of ships, and his border 
shall be unto the (now called Negro) Zidonians or Zidon, and is 
said to be founded by Zidon, the eldest son of Canaan (the now 
called Negro). Genesis 10 : 15. 

In the time of Homer the (now called Negro) Zidonians were 
eminent for their trade and commerce, their wealth and pros- 
perity, their skill in navigation, astronomy, architecture, and 
for their manufacture of glass. They had then a commodious 
harbor, now 7 choked with sand, as I have already explained, and 
inaccessible to any but the smallest vessels. Upon the division 
of the (now called Negro) Canaan among the tribes by Joshua 
Great Zidon fell to the lot of Asher (Josh. 11:8; 19:28) and 



272 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



Hebron and Rehad and Hammon and Kanah, even unto Great 
Zidon. But the tribe never succeeded in obtaining the pos- 
session from the (now called Negro) Zidouiaus or Zidou. 
Judges 1:31; 3:3; 10:12. The (so called Negro) Zidonians 
continued long under their own government and kings. Though 
sometimes tributary to the kings of Tyre, they were subdued 
successively by the Babylonians, Egyptians, Seleucidae, and Ro- 
mans, the latter of whom deprived them of their freedom. 
Many of the inhabitants of the (now called Negro) Sidon be- 
came followers of our Savior (Mark 3 :8) and he, himself, vis- 
ited their coast. Matt. 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-31. Many of 
of them also resorted to him in Galilee. Luke 6:17. The 
Gospel was proclaimed to the Jews at Sidon, the (now called 
Negro) town Sidon, after the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 
11 :19) and there was a Christian church there when Paul 
visited it on his voyage to Rome. Acts 27 .3. It is said to be 
at present like most of the other Turkish towns in Syria, dirty 
and full of ruins, though it is said to retain a little coasting 
trade and has five thousand inhabitants. It incurred the judg- 
ment of God for its sin (Ezek. 28 :21-24), though less ruin- 
ously than Tyre Our Savior refers to both cities in reproach- 
ing the Jews as more highly favored and less excusable than 
they. Matt. 11:22. 

Saida occupies an elevated promontory projecting into the sea 
and defended by walls. Its environs, watered by a stream from 
Lebanon, are famous for their beautiful gardens and fruit trees 
of every kind. Caphtorim, descendants of Mizraim, Ham, the 
(now called Negro) son and kindred to the Casluhim, near 
where they were said to be located on the northeast coast of 
Africa. These last two people are both named as ancestors of 
the (now called Negro) Philistines. Gen. 10:14; Deut 2:23; 
Amos 9 :7. Are ye not as children of Ethiopians unto me, O 
children of Israel ? saith the Lord. Have not I brought up Is • 
rael out of the land of Egypt or Ham and the (now called 
Negro) Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir that 
a colony may be made up from both, drove out Avim from the 
country on the southeast coast of the Mediterranean and occu- 
pied it under the name of the (now called Negro) Philistines, 



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273 



which, is~generally agreed, means strangers. But whether the} r 
came from Cyprus, Crete or Cappadocia is not agreed. Ham, a 
son of Noah (Gen. 5 :32 ; 7 :13 ; 9:18 ; 10 :1) (the ancestor of 
the Negro), was the father of Cush, Mizraim, Phut, and Canaan, 
who was the ancestor of the Canaanites, Southern Arabians, 
Ethiopians, and the Africans in general. Gen. 10 :6-20. As 
I have explained the Cuthites already, we will read of Cush, the 
eldest son of (the now called Negro) Ham, and father of Nirn- 
rod, Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Eaamah and Sabtecha, most of 
whom settled in Arabia Felix. Gen. 10: 6-8. The countries 
peopled by the descendants of Cush are generally called in the 
English Bible Ethiopia, though not always ; but under this 
name there seem to be included not less than three different 
countries: The Oriental Cush (the now called Negro), compre- 
hending the regions of Persia, Chusistan, and Susiana in Persia. 
It lay chiefly to the eastward of the Tigris. Hither we may 
refer to the river Gihon. Gen. 2:13; Zeph. 30:10. From 
beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughters 
of my dispersed, shalt bring mine offering. In that day shalt 
thou not be ashamed for all thy doings wherein thou hast trans- 
gressed against me, for then I will take away out of the midst of 
thee them that rejoice in .thy pride and thou shalt no more 
be haughty because of my holy mountain. The Hebrews also, 
in the opinion of many, used alternately Cush and Cushan. 
Heb. 3 :7. I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction and the cur- 
tains of the land of Midian did tremble. Now to designate the 
southern parts of Arabia and the coast of the Ped Sea. From 
this country originated Nimrod who established himself in Meso- 
potamia. Gen. 10:8. 

The (now called Negro) Ethiopian woman whom Moses 
married during his stay with the Midianites in the desert, came 
from Cush. Ex. 2:16-21; Num. 12:1; 2 Chron. 21:16. 
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came 
and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's 
flock, and the shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses 
stood up and helped them and watered their flock. And when 
they came to Reuel their father he said, How is it that ye are 
is 



274 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



come so soon to-day? And they said, An Egyptian delivered 
us out of the haud of the shepherds, and also drew water enough 
for us and watered the flock. And he said unto his daughters, 
And where is he ? Why is it that ye have left the man ? Call 
him that he may eat bread. And Moses was content to dwell 
with the man. And he gave Moses Zipporah, his daughter, and 
she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, 

1 have been a stranger in a strange- land 

Cush is said to signify Ethiopia proper, lying south and 
southeast of Ham or Egypt, and now called Abyssinia. Isa. 
18:1; 20:3-5; Jer. 13:23; Ezek. 29:10; Dan. 11:43 But 
he shall have power over the treasure of gold and silver, and 
over all the precious things of Ham or Egypt, and the Libyans 
and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. The (now called Ne- 
gro) Cuthites were a people who dwelt beyond the Euphrates and 
were thence transplanted into Samaria in place of the Israelites, 
who had before inhabited it. They came from the land of (the 
now called Negro) Cush, or Cutha, in the East. Their first 
settlement was said to be in the cities of the Medes, subdued by 
Shalmaueser and his predecessors. See (the so-called Negro) 
Cush. The Israelites were substituted for them in those places. 

2 Kings 7:24-30. Phoenicia, Phenicia or Phenice (Acts 15:3), 
in its largest sense designated a narrow strip of country extend- 
ing nearly the whole length of the eastern coast of the Mediter- 
ranean Sea from Antioch to the borders of Ham or Egypt But 
Phoenicia proper was included between the cities of Laodicea 
in Syria and Tyre and comprehended mainly the territories of 
Tyre and (the now called Negro) Sidon. Before Joshua conquered 
the Holy Land or Palestine, this country was possessed by 
the (now called Negro) Canaanites, sons of Ham, divided into 
eleven families, of which the most powerful was that of Canaan, 
the founder of (the now called Negro) Sidon, and head of the 
(so-called Negro) Canaanites, properly so called, whom the 
Greeks called Phoenicians ; only these preserved their independ- 
ence under Joshua, and also under David, Solomon, and the 
succeeding kings. But they were subdued by the Assyrian 
kings and Chaldea. Afterwards they were successively subject 
to the Persians, Greeks and Romans. The (now called Negro) 



THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD. 



275 



Phoenicians were long renowned as a rich, cultivated and power- 
ful people, They were a confederacy of commercial cities, each 
of which, with the adjacent territory, w T as subject to its own 
kings. 

I have already told you of the Sabeans. This word repre- 
sents two distinct people, w T ho, in accordance with the original 
Hebrew, might have been more properly called Sebseans and 
Bbebseans. The first denotes the inhabitants of the country 
called Seba. This appears to have been the great island or 
peninsula of Meroe in the northern (now called Negro) Ethi- 
opia, or Nubia, formed between the Nile and the Astaboras. 
now Atbara. Upon this peninsula lay a city of the like name, 
the ruins of which are still visible a few miles north of the 
modern Shendy. 

Meroe was a city of priests, whose origin is said to be lost in 
the highest antiquity. The monarch chosen by the priests from 
among themselves and the government was entirely theocratic, 
being managed by the priests according to the oracle of Jupiter 
Amnion. This was the Seba of the Hebrews, according to 
Josephus, who mentions at the same time that it was conquered 
by Cambyses and received from him the name Meroe, after his 
sister; with this representation accord the notices of Seba and its 
inhabitants in Scripture. In Genesis (10:7) their ancestor is 
said to be a son of Cush, the progenitor of the Ethiopians, a 
grandson of Ham (the now called Negro). In Isa. 43 :3 ; Ps. 
72 :10 ; lea. 45 Seba is mentioned as a distant and wealthy 
country. In the former passage it is connected with Ham or 
Egypt and Ethiopia; and Meroe was one of the most commercial 
riiies of interior Africa (the now called Negro country). These 
Sabeans are described by Herodotus. 



FINIS. 



ERRATA. 



Page 197— Line 26, Num. 24:26 should read Num. 14:26. 

Page 201— Line 16, Luke 15 :29 should read 2 Kings 15:29. 

Page 202 — Line 4, John 7:7 should read John 7:1. 

Page 215 Line 18, Judges 9:1-11 should read Judges 9:41. 

Page 215 — Line 30, Arnon should read Aenon. 

Page 216 — Line 7, Joshua 18:51 should read Joshua 18:1-51. 

Page 221 — Line 26, Hosea 5:15 should read Hosea 4:15. 

Page 228— Line 10, 1 Sam. 14:4-5 should read 1 Sam. 14:15. 

Pa^re 229— Line 13, 2 Chron. 16:26 should read 2 Chron. 16:2-6. 

Page 22lt— Last line, should read be confounded. 

Page 287- Line 24, Jeremiah should read Nehemiah. 

Page 247— Line 38. a id Matt. 21:17; Mark 11:11-12. 

Page 265 — Line 19, Purvad should read Ruwad. 

Page 265 — La>t line, Zenarites should read Zemarites. 

Page 272 — First line, Rehad should read Rehod. 

R'ge 274 — Line 22, 2 Kin.s 7:24-30 should read 2 Kings 17:24-30. 



